Skip to main content

Atypical Mycobacteria

Meaning

Atypical mycobacteria, also known as Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), represent a diverse group of bacterial species found ubiquitously in the environment, distinct from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae. These organisms are opportunistic pathogens that can cause chronic pulmonary disease, lymphadenitis, skin infections, or disseminated disease, particularly in individuals with compromised immune function. In the context of hormonal health, chronic or subclinical infection can contribute to a state of systemic inflammation, potentially disrupting the delicate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and peripheral hormone signaling.