Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in tissue affected by sarcoidosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in granulomatous tissues from patients with sarcoidosis and from controls matched for age, sex, and tissue by using the polymerase chain reaction.


METHODS
Single blind control trial.


METHODS
16 patients with sarcoidosis who had undergone diagnostic biopsy of lung, skin, or lymph node and 16 patients with squamous cell carcinoma or Hodgkin's disease to act as controls. In addition, four lung specimens infected with M tuberculosis were included as positive controls.


RESULTS
M tuberculosis DNA was present in sarcoid tissues containing granulomas from seven of the 16 patients and one of the 16 matched controls. Two of the four specimens known to be infected with M tuberculosis were positive in the controlled experiment.


CONCLUSIONS
These figures suggest that M tuberculosis DNA is detected as readily in patients with sarcoidosis as in patients with frankly tuberculous tissues and imply that M tuberculosis may be linked to the cause of sarcoidosis.
Fidler
H M
HM
Department of Medical Microbiology, University College, London Medical School.
Rook
G A
GA
Johnson
N M
NM
McFadden
J
J
D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial