Analysis of non-tuberculous mycobacteria: results from the national network of public laboratories in Peru

BACKGROUND: In Peru, there are relatively few reports on non-TB mycobacteria (NTM). We therefore aimed to synthesise the results of public laboratories' registers of NTM. METHODS: We reviewed the information of the National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria of the Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), Peru, from 2020 to 2024. Samples of isolates with suspicion of NTM were sent to the INS, where species identification was performed. RESULTS: 2,520 specimens were included for analysis. The number of NTM detected rose from 345 in 2020 to 584 in 2024. We identified 19 species of NTM, the most frequent being Mycobacterium fortuitum (n = 57; 22.6%), M. intracellulare (n = 434; 17.2%), and M. abscessus complex (n = 217; 8.6%). There were 647 (25.7%) specimens that were not identified. Cases of NTM predominated in the (north) coast and in the forest regions of the country. DISCUSSION: The epidemiology of NTM in Peru is complex, and the distribution of the different species shows a wide variation between regions. The increasing trends in NTM demand urgent improvements to diagnostic capacity in the regions and raised awareness of this health problem. The high proportion of unidentified species (25.7%) also requires further investigation.