MICs of linezolid in broth microdilutions were tested against 341 slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) belonging to 15 species. The proposed linezolid susceptibility MICs for all Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium szulgai, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium malmoense, and Mycobacterium xenopi isolates and for 90% of Mycobacterium gordonae and Mycobacterium triplex isolates were </=8 micro g/ml. Linezolid has excellent therapeutic potential against most species of NTM.