MYCOBACTERIUM-SIMIAE INFECTION IN ISRAELI PATIENTS WITH AIDS

Mycobacterium simiae is an environmental organism that has rarely been associated with human disease. In Israel M. simiae is frequently isol ated from clinical specimens, and it usually colonizes damaged lungs. Until now, only two cases of AIDS patients with M. simiae infection ha ve been reported, and these patients were coinfected with Mycobacteriu m avium complex. Two Israeli patients with AIDS complicating hemophili a developed prolonged fever that was unresponsive to therapy with broa d-spectrum antibiotics. One of them had cavitary pulmonary infiltrates . M. simiae was isolated from blood in both cases and from sputum and bone marrow in one case. The identity of the mycobacterium was confirm ed at three reference laboratories. Both patients died of the infectio n. Thus, the possibility of M. simiae infection should be considered f or AIDS patients who live in areas where this mycobacterium is prevale nt.