title: Tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in patients with AIDS.
abstract: Thirty-six patients with AIDS and culture-proven nontuberculous mycobacteriosis were compared to 20 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and tuberculosis with regard to clinical signs, symptoms, and diagnostic methods. Patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis were more often younger and homosexuals, while patients with tuberculosis were usually Haitian-American or users of intravenous drugs. A majority of patients with tuberculosis presented with fever and weight loss. These symptoms were seen in approximately 50 percent of the patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis. A distinct syndrome of dyspnea, chills, hemoptysis, and chest pain was seen in a significant minority of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis. Lymphadenopathy was seen almost exclusively in patients with tuberculosis. Pulmonary sources (expectorated sputum or bronchoscopy specimens) were the most common source of diagnosis in both groups. Patients in both groups in whom the diagnosis was obtained from pulmonary sources frequently had negative chest x-ray films on presentation. Cavitary disease was absent from both groups.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine and Infectious Disease, University of Miami School of Medicine.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Erdfrocht
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fischl
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000208:ethnology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States