MYCOBACTERIUM KANSAII INFECTION IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

We report a retrospective study of 12 caucasian men infected with HIV who had developed Mycobacterium kansasii infection (Mk). All patients had a low blood lymphocyte CD4 count (1-130, mean 15/mm(3)) and ten met the diagnostic criteria for AIDS. The 12 patients had pulmonary symptoms (dyspnea, cough) and fever. On chest X-ray, nodular interstitial or diffuse parenchymal infiltrates, mediastinal and hilar adenopathies were observed. Two patients had pleural effusion, but none had cavitary lung disease. Mk was isolated by culture of sputum (n=7), blood (n=3), bronchial biopsy (n=2) or bone marrow (n=1). No patient had clinical extra-pulmonary disease. Survival after diagnosis was in average 7 months. Potential for therapeutic response is reviewed and documented.