Rapid growers include four well-recognized, pathogenic, rapidly growing, nonchromogenic species: M. chelonae, M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, and M. peregrinum. Other examples cause disease rarely, such as M. smegmatis and M. flavescens.The number of identified and cataloged NTM species has been increasing rapidly, from about 50 in 1997 to over 125 by January 2007. The surge is mainly due to improved isolation and identification techniques.Even with these new techniques, though, the Runyon classification is still sometimes used to organize the mycobacteria into categories. Epidemiology
NTM are widely distributed in the environment, particularly in wet soil, marshland, streams, rivers and estuaries. Different species of NTM prefer different types of environment. Human disease is believed to be acquired from environmental exposures. Unlike tuberculosis and leprosy, animal-to-human or human-to-human transmission of NTM rarely occurs.NTM diseases have been seen in most industrialized countries, where incidence rates vary from 1.0 to 1.8 cases per 100,000 persons. Recent studies, including one done in Ontario, Canada, suggest that incidence is much higher. Pulmonary NTM is estimated by some experts in the field to be at least ten times more common than TB in the U.S., with at least 150,000 cases per year. Most NTM disease cases involve the species known as Mycobacterium avium complex or MAC for short, M. abscessus, M. fortuitum and M. kansasii. M. abscessus is being seen with increasing frequency and is particularly difficult to treat.Mayo Clinic researchers found a three-fold increased incidence of cutaneous NTM infection between 1980 and 2009 in a population-based study of residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota.
White piedra (or tinea blanca) is a mycosis of the hair caused by several species of fungi in the genus Trichosporon. It is characterized by soft nodules composed of yeast cells and arthroconidia that encompass hair shafts. Diagnosis
White piedra can occur on the hair of the scalp; Trichosporon ovoides is likely the cause in this case. White piedra on scalp hair is rarely caused by Trichosporon inkin; pubic hair with white piedra is what T. inkin is mainly associated with. White piedra can occur on pubic hair; T. inkin likely causes this.Trichosporon beigelii

Treatment
There are several approaches to treat this infectious disease. One approach involves shaving the affected areas. Another approach involves the use of antifungal medication. See also
Trichobacteriosis axillaris

References
External links

DermAtlas 2062238337