A 38-year-old HIV-positive man had several attacks of high fever assoc
iated with extensive perspiration over a 10-week period. Simultaneousl
y, he developed molluscum contagiosum-like papules and an erythematous
plaque on the face, ulcerated papules on both shoulders and buttocks
and subcutaneous nodules on the arms. Histological examination of biop
sy specimens revealed a diffuse, histiocytic infiltrate with abundant
rod-shaped bacteria. Mycobacterium avium complex was cultured from the
tissue and Mycobacterium avium complex DNA was detected by the polyme
rase chain reaction. The diagnosis of disseminated disease was additio
nally confirmed by culturing Mycobacterium avium complex from blood, s
putum and stool. The skin lesions healed completely within 10 weeks by
a multiagent as the patient was treated with a drug therapy. We descr
ibe the differential diagnosis, diagnostic procedures and therapy of d
isseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium complex.