Increasingly prevalent, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) disease has been linked to exposure to the mycobacteria in water, as well as soil. Although rates of infection vary greatly by regions, the geospatial factors influencing this variation are poorly understood. This is why Ettie M. Lipner and colleagues undertook a study of NTM disease in Colorado. The results were published in the journal Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

The researchers found two statistically significant high-risk clusters of disease and three watershed areas where the relative risk was considerably higher for slowly-growing NTM disease than all the other watersheds in Colorado.

The authors concluded, “A better understanding of the regional ecology and environmental sources of NTM is crucial, as patients undergo lengthy and complex treatment regimens, and are often re-infected despite initial cure.”