Author(s)
Taylor Mae Loth, BA
Brianne Barnett Roby, MD FACS
Affiliation(s)
University of Minnesota Medical School;
Abstract:
Educational Objective: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to better understand when to anticipate an increased likelihood of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infections in pediatric populations depending on the time of year they present to clinic with symptoms. Awareness of when children are more likely to be exposed to NTM, as predicted by its seasonal variation, can better inform participants as to when they should be more suspicious of an NTM infection.
Objectives: To predict seasonality when children are more likely to be exposed to NTM and to compare the time of year that children are first reported to have symptoms with when children first present in clinic.
Study Design: Retrospective review.
Methods: The medical records of 67 children diagnosed with NTM lymphadenitis at one midwest tertiary pediatric hospital from 2008 to 2020 were reviewed. The time of year that the children initially presented with symptoms was assessed. The time between symptom onset and clinical presentation for treatment was also evaluated.
Results: Majority (70%) of NTM cases included symptom onset in the fall and winter months (defined as October - March). Similarly, most (58%) children with NTM lymphadenitis first presented to clinic during the winter and fall. Specifically, 46% of all cases presented to clinic between January and March. Only 12% of cases presented to clinic between June and August. An average of 71 days passed between symptom onset and first clinical presentation.
Conclusions: Given that NTM lymphadenitis often takes many weeks to months to develop, it could be extrapolated that most children are exposed to NTM in the late summer and early fall. These findings largely suggest a seasonal variation, with cases peaking between January and March and having troughs in the summer. Observation of this trend will hopefully better inform clinicians as to when they should strongly consider NTM in their differential diagnosis.