MYCOBACTERIUM CELATUM INFECTION IN 2 HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS TREATED PROPHYLACTICALLY WITH RIFABUTIN

Mycobacterium celatum is a recently described slow-growing species. It was identified on the basis of genomic sequencing that differentiates three types. The present report describes two cases of Mycobacterium celatum type 1 infection in patients with AIDS. Both patients had CD4 lymphocyte counts of <10/mm(3), were receiving rifabutin prophylaxis, and had attended the same treatment units. The minimum inhibitory con centration of rifabutin for both strains was 8 mg/l, which may account for the failure of prophylaxis. As all type 1 strains have the same p ulsed field gel electrophoresis pattern, nosocomial transmission or ac quisition from a common source could not be ruled out.