Mycobacterium gordonae: a possible opportunistic respiratory tract pathogen in patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 infection.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if Mycobacterium gordonae is an opportunistic respiratory tract pathogen in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1).


METHODS
Retrospective review of medical records of all patients with positive cultures for M gordonae from 1987 to 1989.


METHODS
Fifteen patients had positive sputum cultures for M gordonae: five patients had AIDS or had HIV-1 infections with less than or equal to 180 CD4 cells/cu mm, and ten patients had no clinical evidence of HIV-1 infection.


RESULTS
Three of the five HIV-1 infected patients had clinical, roentgenographic, and microbiologic evidence of pulmonary infection due to M gordonae that responded to antimycobacterial therapy. One of the two remaining HIV-1 infected patients had disseminated M tuberculosis and possible coinfection with M gordonae, and the other was lost to follow-up. None of the ten patients without evidence of HIV-1 infection was considered to have M gordonae respiratory tract infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Sputum isolates of M gordonae should be considered potential opportunistic respiratory tract pathogens in patients with advanced HIV-1 infection and with otherwise unexplained pulmonary infection.
Barber
T W
TW
Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine.
Craven
D E
DE
Farber
H W
HW
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*