Infections caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are increasing globally and are notoriously difficult to treat due to intrinsic resistance of these bacteria to many common antibiotics. NTM are diverse and ubiquitous in the environment, with only a few species causing serious and often opportunistic infections in humans, including Mycobacterium abscessus. This rapidly growing mycobacterium is one of the most commonly identified NTM species responsible for severe respiratory, skin and mucosal infections in humans. It is often regarded as one of the most antibiotic-resistant mycobacteria, leaving us with few therapeutic options. In this Review, we cover the proposed infection process of M. abscessus, its virulence factors and host interactions and highlight the commonalities and differences of M. abscessus with other NTM species. Finally, we discuss drug resistance mechanisms and future therapeutic options. Taken together, this knowledge is essential to further our understanding of this overlooked and neglected global threat.

中文翻译：

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非结核分枝杆菌和脓肿分枝杆菌的出现。

由非结核分枝杆菌（NTM）引起的感染在全球范围内正在增加，并且由于这些细菌对许多常见抗生素的内在抗性而众所周知难以治疗。NTM在环境中是多种多样的，无处不在，只有少数几种物种会引起严重的，常常是机会性的感染，包括脓肿分枝杆菌。这种快速生长的分枝杆菌是最常见的NTM物种之一，可导致人类严重的呼吸道，皮肤和粘膜感染。它通常被认为是对抗生素耐药性最高的分枝杆菌之一，几乎没有治疗选择。在这篇综述中，我们涵盖了脓肿分支杆菌的拟议感染过程，其毒力因子和宿主相互作用，并着重介绍了脓肿分支杆菌与其他NTM物种的共性和差异。最后，我们讨论了耐药机制和未来的治疗选择。综上所述，这种知识对于增进我们对这一被忽视和忽视的全球威胁的理解至关重要。