title: Gastro-intestinal involvement in Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection of patients with HIV.
abstract: In a study of 866 faecal specimens from 437 persons, Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) was isolated from 14.8% patients with AIDS and 1.3% patients with symptomatic HIV infection but not from any HIV seronegative or asymptomatic HIV seropositive persons. These data support the hypothesis that the gastro-intestinal tract is the portal of entry for MAI and confirm that MAI infection is a manifestation of late-stage HIV disease. Positive faecal cultures correlated well with disseminated disease. The use of faecal cultures for early diagnosis is therefore recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, U.K.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hellyer
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Easmon
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors