The Anonymous Mycobacteria in Human Disease

The occurrence of mycobacteria other than the classic tubercle bacilli in apparently etiologic relation to tuberculosis-like disease has received increased attention in the last few years. Of the 23 contributors to this small book, some are concerned with the identification of these mycobacteria and their frequency in specimens submitted to health department and hospital diagnostic laboratories, others with differential diagnosis and treatment. The accompanying discussions have been reported in detail. The anonymous mycobacteria are divided into four groups, two chromogenic and two nonchromogenic. Pulmonary disease apparently caused by these bacteria closely simulates tuberculosis, and it has not been possible to differentiate it in chest films. Endobronchitis seems to be somewhat more common than tuberculosis, in general the lesions are more acute and exudative, and there appears to be somewhat more nonspecific inflammation and fibrosis. Similarly, the lesions of infected lymph nodes closely resemble those of tuberculous infection, including calcification in