MYCOBACTERIUM-XENOPI - INNOCENT BYSTANDER OR EMERGING PATHOGEN

Mycobacterium xenopi is a recognized cause of smoldering pulmonary dis ease in patients with chronic lung disease. This organism is frequentl y isolated from respiratory specimens from individuals infected with h uman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is often considered nonpathogeni c. Cases of pulmonary and disseminated M. xenopi disease have been des cribed in patients with HIV infection and other immunodeficiencies. Ma ny physicians are unaware of the clinical significance of M. xenopi is olation, Whether this organism represents a commensal or a pathogen ca pable of causing considerable morbidity and mortality is not fully und erstood. In this study, we investigated the clinical significance of M . xenopi isolation and explored the clinical spectrum of M. xenopi dis ease, Clinical illness occurred both in elderly people with chronic lu ng disease and in young individuals with HIV infection. The repeated i solation of M. xenopi in association with pulmonary lesions suggests s ignificant Infection and mandates further workup and therapy.