An observational study in Mycobacterium Infections, sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged Up to 100 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · Observational
This study will examine the symptoms, course of disease and treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections, as well as the genetics involved in these infections. Patients with NTM have recurrent lung infections and sometimes infections of the skin and other organs as well. They may also have curvature of the spine, barrel chest, and heart valve weakness. The study will compare the features of NTM with those of Job syndrome and cystic fibrosis, other diseases involving recurrent infections of the lungs and possibly other organs.
Patients with diagnosed or suspected non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection, cystic fibrosis or Job syndrome may be eligible for this study. All participants will have a medical and family history, blood and urine tests, imaging studies that may include X-rays, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and DNA and other genetic studies. In addition, all patients with Job syndrome and cystic fibrosis, and patients with NTM who have lung disease undergo the following procedures:
These tests may require several days to complete. Patients with NTM will also be examined by a cystic fibrosis specialist and may have a sweat test. In addition, NTM patients will be asked to return to NIH every year for 5 years for follow-up tests, if medically indicated, including CT of the chest, scoliosis survey and examination by other specialists.
The nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous environmental organisms found in soil and water that rarely cause disease in humans. Since exposure to these organisms is universal and disease is rare, it can be concluded that normal host defenses are almost always sufficient to prevent infection. It follows that otherwise healthy individuals who develop disease must have abnormal susceptibility or immune defects that permit infection with nontubercuolous mycobacteria. The organisms that are most commonly encountered in clinical practice include Mycobacterium avium, and M. intracellulare [collectively known as the M. avium complex (MAC)], M. kansasii, M. fortuitum, M. abscessus, and M. chelonae. These organisms share significant structural and biochemical similarities with their more pathogenic relative, M. tuberculosis (MTB). Recognition of host factors that predispose or lead to NTM infection may have important implications for pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention, and may be applicable to the more virulent MTB. Identification of genetic or acquired susceptibility factors may lead to recognition of endogenous pathways that can be exploited therapeutically and to possible gene identification.
Over the last two decades, three important observations have been made regarding the pathogenesis of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. 1) In patients infected with HIV, nontuberculous mycobacterial infections often occur when the CD4+ T-lymphocyte number falls below 50/mm3. This suggested that specific T cell products or activities were required for mycobacterial resistance. 2) An association was noted between pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infections and a particular body habitus, predominantly in post-menopausal women (pectus excavatum, scoliosis, mitral valve prolapse). 3) Multiple defects have been found involving the interferon gamma synthesis and use pathways in patients with disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection without HIV, suggesting this is a critical pathway for host defense against these organisms.
We seek to better characterize the predisposition to mycobacterial infection. This study will specifically address several aspects of immune function and investigate the proposed link to body morphotype in the relevant population. By collecting this information, we hope to provide insight into disease associations, infection susceptibility, and genetic predisposition to mycobacterial infection.
59 studies on the registry are indexed under Mycobacterium Infections; 14 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 1,000 is above the median of 189 across 26 observational studies indexed under Mycobacterium Infections.
Browse Mycobacterium Infections studies →National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is the lead sponsor of 2,446 studies on the registry; 179 are open to participants now.
Of its 405 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 302 (75%) have results posted.
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Patients with mycobacterial infections, including those without previously identified predisposing disease processes as well as individuals with underlying malignancies. Patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial infections will be of particular interest but select patients with acquired immunodeficiencies or tuberculosis may also be studied if relevant host defects are suspected. We may obtain specimens from some blood relatives of enrolled patients.
This protocol will study patients with mycobacterial infections, including those without previously identified predisposing disease processes as well as individuals with underlying . Patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial infections will be of particular interest, as we are interested in isolating and characterizing the primary immune defect(s) responsible for this infection susceptibility. Select patients with acquired immunodeficiencies or tuberculosis may also be studied if relevant host defects are suspected.
Patients must be referred to NIH with a diagnosis or suspicion of having mycobacterial infection. Male and female patients will be accepted without limitation due to age, including viable neonates. Only patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial infections without infection will be considered for long-term disease management.
INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR RELATIVES:
As a part of this protocol we may obtain medical records, blood work, urine, saliva or buccal swab from some blood relatives of patients, male or female including viable neonates, on the study, with the hope of isolating and characterizing the primary immune defect(s) responsible for mycobacterial infection susceptibility and if there are any genetic links seen within families. We hope to identify families with an apparent genetic susceptibility to respiratory diseases predominantly associated with P-NTM and perform whole genome sequencing within this group to identify genetic mutations accounting for this increased susceptibility.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
None.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Blood relatives of enrolled patients
Patients with mycobacterial infections
Drug: Clofazimine
Collect patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in order to identify known and novel immune defects, characterize the natural history of these infections in the setting of the best possible standard therapy, and explore the connect...
Collecting information on mycobacterial infections
Time frame: ongoing
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