A Case of Disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare Infection in an Immunocompromised Host.

Kim, Sun Young; Oh, Dong Wook; Yu, Ji Hee; Kim, Donghoi; Noh, Sehui; Roh, JaeHyung; Jung, Sang Su; Yoo, Dong Jun; Shim, Tae Sun

doi:2009.67.1.32

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 67(1); 2009 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2009;67(1):32-36.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2009.67.1.32 Published online July 1, 2009.

A Case of Disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare Infection in an Immunocompromised Host.

Sun Young Kim, Dong Wook Oh, Ji Hee Yu, Donghoi Kim, Sehui Noh, JaeHyung Roh, Sang Su Jung, Dong Jun Yoo, Tae Sun Shim

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. shimts@amc.seoul.kr

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.

Key Words: Mycobacterium avium complex, Disseminated infection, Immunocompromised host, Pleural effusion, Arthritis