Tuberc Respir Dis.  2009 Jul;67(1):32-36.

A Case of Disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare Infection in an Immunocompromised Host

• Kim SY
• Oh DW
• Yu JH
• Kim D
• Noh S
• Roh J
• Jung SS
• Yoo DJ
• Shim TS

Abstract

We report a case of disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection in a 31-year-old man who had been diagnosed as having dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus 3-years prior. The patient developed a left pleural effusion M. intracellulare was repeatedly isolated from the pleural fluid. After antimycobacterial treatment, the patient's pleural effusion resolved, but a left knee joint effusion developed newly and M. intracellulare was cultured from the joint fluid. At present, the patient has been taking antimycobacterial medication for 15 months but his left knee joint fluid remains positive for M. intracellulare. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of disseminated NTM infection in a non-HIV infected patient in Korea.

Keyword

Mycobacterium avium complex; Disseminated infection; Immunocompromised host; Pleural effusion; Arthritis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Arthritis
Dermatomyositis
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Joints
Knee Joint
Korea
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
Mycobacterium
Mycobacterium avium Complex
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection
Pleural Effusion

Figure

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  Figure 1 (A) Chest X-ray shows left pleural effusion on admission and (B) decreased left pleural effusion after 8 months.

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  Figure 2 Sagittal T1-weighted enhanced fat-suppressed magnetic resonance image shows synovial thickening with well enhancement and effusion (arrow) in left knee joint; and poorly defined bone marrow signal change in medial femoral condyle and tibial plateau. These findings are consistent with septic arthritis with osteomyelitis.

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