Nontuberculous mycobacterial adenitis of childhood. The ten-year experience at a community hospital.

An increased occurrence of nontuberculous mycobacterial adenitis was observed in children admitted to the Tucson Medical Center for adenitis between 1979 and 1983. All infections were due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAI). All isolates were obtained from children less than 3 years old and with symptoms of two months or less. Children with negative cultures tended to be older, had a longer interval of lymphadenopathy, and had larger glands. Factors that may have caused the separation of our two groups and the high prevalence of MAI are addressed herein. Only earlier suspected diagnosis and application of tuberculosis screening studies can define the true prevalence of MAI disease in childhood.