What is the Role of National Jewish Health and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM)

When the National Jewish Health opened as a TB sanatorium in 1899, the existence of NTM was known but not understood. The Center added a research department in 1919. This enabled study of the mycobacteria recovered from patients. The late Dr. Werner B. Schaefer, a National Jewish Health microbiologist, became the world's leading authority on NTM. He developed a technique that is still key in identifying many mycobacterial strains.

Today, a special lab at National Jewish Health, operating with a grant from the National Institutes of Health, is devoted to research on new medications for the treatment of NTM infections.

National Jewish Health is the nation's leading center with a major program for the treatment of drug-resistant TB and NTM infections . People with difficult mycobacterial infections come to National Jewish Health from all around the nation and the world. We offer an outpatient evaluation and in certain cases, a highly specialized in-patient program. Please have your doctor call 1-800-423-8891, x1279 to refer you as a patient. In addition, your doctor can call this number to obtain a consultation regarding current diagnosis and treatment information.

Learn about the National Jewish Health Infectious Diseases Inpatient and Extended Outpatient Program .

Learn about our Division of Mycobacterial and Respiratory Infections .

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