About two cases of Mycobacterium simiae infection in AIDS: review of the pathogenicity.
Mycobacterium simiae is an ubiquitous species rarely involved as a cause of human infection. Its pathogenicity remains therefore unclear and controversial. Disseminated infections with M. simiae occur rarely and only 7 cases have been reported in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). At least, two were mixed infections caused by M. simiae and M. avium-intracellulare. We report the case of two AIDS patients presenting with pure M. simiae infections: one was a disseminated infection and the other a pulmonary infection. Epidemiology and pathogenicity of M. simiae in pulmonary, extra-pulmonary and disseminated infections are reviewed.
Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, St-Luc University Hospital Brussels, Belgium.
B
B
Vandercam
J L
JL
Gala
J
J
Gerain
J
J
Degraux
A
A
Bourlond
B
B
Colebunders
C
C
Pirard
F
F
Portaels
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*