DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM COMPLEX IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF A SARCOID PATIENT BY SPECIFIC POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION ASSAYS

The etiology of sarcoidosis is unknown, but it has long been suspected to be mycobacterial. In the present study, we used 4 mycobacterial sp ecies-specific polymerase chain reaction assays on cerebrospinal fluid obtained from a patient with neurosarcoidosis. Positive hybridization was observed with both the Mycobacterium avium complex probe and the insertion element IS900-specific probe that has been found in M. parat uberculosis species. There was no hybridization with M. tuberculosis o r M. avium woodpigeon strain-specific probes. This case report demonst rates that M. paratuberculosis or some closely related M. avium spp wh ich perhaps also carry IS900, or contain closely related DNA sequences , are associated with at least some cases of sarcoidosis disease.