Isolation of atypical mycobacteria from clinical material in Malaysia

During the period 1979-1982, 70 strains of atypical mycobacteria isolated from clinical material were identified as belonging to species or species complex. Twenty-eight out of 61 strains isolated from pulmonary specimens were identified as M. avium-intracellulare. This frequency of association of M. avium-intracellulare with sputa of patients with pulmonary symptoms points to its potential importance and the need for further investigation.