Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) illness is an emerging life-threatening infection, and paediatric features have not been well studied. The objective of our study was to review the NTM isolates of hospitalized paediatric patients identified at our institution and to describe the characteristics of these cases. Our retrospective chart review from 2010 to 2013 identified 45 patients with 46 positive NTM cultures. Fifteen (33%) patients had received haematopoietic cell transplant, 13 (29%) had cystic fibrosis, and six (13%) were previously healthy. Twenty-seven (59%) NTM isolates were Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus, 14 (30%) were M. avium intracellulare, and four (9%) were M. immunogenum. The majority (65%) of cases were community-acquired, and 20 (43%) patients were treated as infection. This case series identified a predominance of M. chelonae/abscessus, and includes a substantial number of haematopoietic cell transplant patients, which reflects the changing spectrum of NTM disease as molecular diagnostics improve and quaternary care facilities provide for a larger immunocompromised population.

This study aimed to examine trends in incidence, geographical distribution, and survival of classic and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in the general US population using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) tumour registries with 12 066 patients diagnosed with KS between 1975 and 2005. Although the age-adjusted standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of AIDS-related KS (1·9) during 1980–2005 was not significantly higher than that of classic KS (1·4) during 1975–2005 (P = 0·78), the trends in annual SIR rates revealed distinct patterns. While the SIR for AIDS-related KS declined across all registries from the early 1990s (4·6) to late-1990s (0·3) (P = 0·05), the SIR of classic KS remained relatively steady (1·7). In both forms the SIR of KS was highest in metropolitan areas. The 5-year survival rates for patients with AIDS-related KS improved from 12·1% (1980–1995) to 54% (1996–2005) (P = 0·05). Survival rates for patients with classic KS remained stable, ranging from 75·7% to 88·6% during the 30-year period. These results may reflect improved HIV treatment.