BCG turns 100: its nontraditional uses against viruses, cancer, and immunologic diseases.

First administered to a human subject as a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine on July 18, 1921, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has a long history of use for the prevention of TB and later the immunotherapy of bladder cancer. For TB prevention, BCG is given to infants born globally across over 180 countries and has been in use since the late 1920s. With about 352 million BCG doses procured annually and tens of billions of doses having been administered over the past century, it is estimated to be the most widely used vaccine in human history. While its roles for TB prevention and bladder cancer immunotherapy are widely appreciated, over the past century, BCG has been also studied for nontraditional purposes, which include (a) prevention of viral infections and nontuberculous mycobacterial infections, (b) cancer immunotherapy aside from bladder cancer, and (c) immunologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and atopic diseases. The basis for these heterologous effects lies in the ability of BCG to alter immunologic set points via heterologous T cell immunity, as well as epigenetic and metabolomic changes in innate immune cells, a process called "trained immunity." In this Review, we provide an overview of what is known regarding the trained immunity mechanism of heterologous protection, and we describe the current knowledge base for these nontraditional uses of BCG.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, Botswana, 2011-2014.

We documented a 6-fold increase in the frequency of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from clinical samples in Botswana during 2011-2014. Because antituberculosis treatment is often initiated only on the basis of acid-fast bacilli smear-positive microscopy results, some patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial infections might have received inappropriate treatment.

Outbreak of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Joint Prosthesis Infections, Oregon, USA, 2010-2016.

We investigated a cluster of Mycobacterium fortuitum and M. goodii prosthetic joint surgical site infections occurring during 2010-2014. Cases were defined as culture-positive nontuberculous mycobacteria surgical site infections that had occurred within 1 year of joint replacement surgery performed on or after October 1, 2010. We identified 9 cases by case finding, chart review, interviews, surgical observations, matched case-control study, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of isolates, and environmental investigation; 6 cases were diagnosed >90 days after surgery. Cases were associated with a surgical instrument vendor representative being in the operating room during surgery; other potential sources were ruled out. A tenth case occurred during 2016. This cluster of infections associated with a vendor reinforces that all personnel entering the operating suite should follow infection control guidelines; samples for mycobacterial culture should be collected early; and postoperative surveillance for <90 days can miss surgical site infections caused by slow-growing organisms requiring specialized cultures, like mycobacteria.

Epidemiology of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection, South Korea, 2007-2016.

The prevalence and incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections increased in South Korea from 2007 to 2016. Annual prevalence of NTM infection increased to 39.6 cases/100,000 population in 2016 and annual incidence to 19.0 cases/100,000 population. Overall prevalence for the study period was higher in the elderly, in females, and in cities.

Pulmonary Infections with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, Catalonia, Spain, 1994-2014.

In Spain, systematic reporting of pulmonary infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria is not mandatory. Therefore, to determine trends, we retrospectively identified cases for January 1994-December 2014 in Catalonia. Over the 21 years, prevalence increased and was associated with being male. Mycobacterium avium complex and M. abscessus prevalence increased; M. kansasii prevalence decreased.

Prevalence of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease, Germany, 2009-2014.

We analyzed routine statutory health insurance claim data to determine prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease in Germany. Documented prevalence rates of this nonnotifiable disease increased from 2.3 to 3.3 cases/100,000 population from 2009 to 2014. Prevalence showed a strong association with advanced age and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pulmonary infection and colonization with nontuberculous mycobacteria, Taiwan, 2000-2012.

We analyzed samples from 13,652 patients who had respiratory cultures positive for mycobacteria in Taiwan during 2000-2012 and found that 56.9% were positive for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Whereas annual prevalence of tuberculosis decreased during the study period, prevalence of NTM disease and colonization increased, particularly among older patients and male patients.

Outbreak of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease in the central Pacific.

Approximately 10% of the island population of Satowan (population, 650 persons), a small, remote coral island in the central Pacific, suffers from an acquired, chronic, disfiguring skin condition known locally as "spam." This skin disease has affected the island population since shortly after World War II. An investigation in 2007 revealed that this skin disease is caused by a nontuberculous mycobacterial infection closely related to Mycobacterium marinum. This article reviews the fascinating history of this skin disease on Satowan, its distinctive clinical presentation, and recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of clinically similar skin lesions in Pacific Islanders.

Frederic Chopin--the man, his music and his illness.

Frédéric Chopin's unique position in the history of music relies on a surprisingly limited and special production. However, the artistic level is invariably high and the musical language is both universal and unmistakably personal. A nearly life-long suffering from illness marked his life and influenced his artistry, as composer and pianist. Chopin's struggle with a fateful disease, and his instinctive understanding that he would loose, made imprints on some of his works that carry a sombre intensity, bordering on desperation. The emotional tension of these compositions, that appear already from youth and henceforward, goes far beyond the musical conventions of the time. The nature of Chopin's disease has been subject to numerous speculations. This is not surprising, considering the wide spectrum of symptoms and the dynamics of his illness--or illnesses. Taking into account all reported symptoms and signs since childhood and henceforth, it is postulated that Chopin suffered from cystic fibrosis by heriditariness, possibly superimposed by tuberculosis or atypical mycobacteria. This would explain all his symptoms, and to some extent also the ambivalence of contemporary physicians. By available gene technology it would be possible to investigate, for proof or dismissal, if this hypothesis is true.