title: Disseminated atypical mycobacterial infection in hairy cell leukemia.
abstract: The clinical features are described of disseminated atypical mycobacterial infection of the subcutaneous tissues occurring in a patient 3 yr after the diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia. Skin biopsy identified the causative organism as an atypical mycobacterium of the M. avium-intracellulare-scrofulaceum (MAIS) complex. In vitro studies showed that the patient had impaired mononuclear cell phagocytosis. These findings, lend support to the hypothesis of a specific defect of immunity in hairy cell leukemia.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000209:etiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D014382:Tuberculosis, Cutaneous / Q000209:etiology*