Generalized mycobacterium genavense infection in HIV-infected patients: Detection of the mycobacterium in hospital tap water

We describe 3 HIV-infected patients with disseminated M. genavense infectio n. The use of corticosteroids possibly favoured colonization and disseminat ion of atypical mycobacteria in these patients with low CD4 cell counts and may have masked symptoms of infection. The fact that these patients were t reated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) together with anti mycobacterial therapy may explain that 1 patient was free from mycobacteria 16 months after the end of specific treatment. Hospital tap eater containe d M. genavense at a concentration of >10 bacteria/l as examined by PCR. Thi s species caused 12% of cases of non-tuberculous disseminated mycobacterios is in HIV-infected patients at our hospital.