- Meet American Thoracic Society criteria for nontuberculous lung disease: two or more AFB smear positive, culture positive sputums or bronchoscopic samples and/or two or more AFB smear negative respiratory samples with moderate to heavy growth (2+-4+); abnormal CXR consistent with M. avium lung disease; abnormal CXR consistent with M. avium lung disease; absence of other lung pathogens (except for the coexistence of M. abscessus).