ENDOBRONCHIAL LESIONS IN A NON-AIDS PATIENT WITH DISSEMINATED MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM-INTRACELLULARE INFECTION

A 34 year old female developed Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infe ction with generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, pulmonary infiltration, pleural effusion and endobronchial polypoid lesions. M. avium-intracellulare was identified by means of sputum cultures, pleur al effusion culture and lymph node culture. The anti-human immunodefic iency virus (HIV) antibody was negative. The CD4+ cell count was norma l, Bronchoscopic examination revealed multiple polypoid lesions, which had nearly occluded the right main bronchus, right middle lobe and le ft lower lobe bronchi. Neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd-YAG) las er and antimycobacterial therapy were used effectively to relieve the airway obstruction, The clinical symptoms and signs responded favourab ly to antimycobacterial therapy.