[Lung diseases due to atypical mycobacteria]

The epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of mycobacterioses are reviewed. In the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, the incidence of mycobacterioses approximates to 1% of infectious tuberculosis cases. Non-pathogenic typical mycobacteria have been identified in 2.8% of non-infectious chronic respiratory disorders, in 1.2% after culture conversion of respiratory tuberculosis, and mixed with tubercle bacilli in 4% of cases.