Review Article
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Countries: A Review
Table 1
Species distribution of NTM in the Gulf region.
| GCC countries | NTM species | Total number of clinical isolates | Saudi Arabia | Kuwait | Oman | Clinical relevance | Reference |
| M. avium complex | 79 | 68 | 2 | 9 | Pulmonary | [17–21] | M. fortuitum | 90 | 83 | 7 | — | Pulmonary and extrapulmonary | [18–21] | M. simiae | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | Pulmonary | [17, 19–21] | M. kansasii | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | Pulmonary | [17–21] | M. gordonae | 17 | 16 | 1 | — | Pulmonary and extrapulmonary | [18–21] | M. xenopi | 5 | 5 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. abscessus | 55 | 53 | 2 | — | Pulmonary and extrapulmonary | [18–21] | M. marinum | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | Pulmonary | [17, 19–21] | M. chelonae | 9 | 8 | 1 | — | Extrapulmonary | [18–21] | M. scrofulaceum | 2 | 2 | — | — | Extrapulmonary | [19–21] | M. lentiflavum | 2 | 2 | — | — | Extrapulmonary | [19–21] | M. smegmatis | 5 | 5 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. szulgai | 3 | 3 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. flavescens | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | Pulmonary | [17, 19–21] | M. terrae | 4 | 4 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. intracellulare | 9 | 9 | — | — | Pulmonary and extrapulmonary | [19–21] | M. gastri | 1 | 1 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. asiaticum | 1 | 1 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | M. celatum | 2 | 2 | — | — | Pulmonary | [19–21] | Unidentified | 9 | 9 | | | | [19–21] |
| Total | 315 | 290 | 14 | 13 | | |
|
|