Disseminated Mycoplasma fermentans in AIDS patients: several case reports

We describe the clinical course of 2 HIV-positive patients in whom Mycoplas ma fermentans was disseminated and persistent. We identified individuals in whom hi. fermentans had been detected in a peripheral blood mononuclear ce ll (PBMC) or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimen. Of this group a number had archival specimens of interest: liver and/or bone marrow, taken to inve stigate a systemic illness, and a few had M. fermentans positive tissues. T wo patients, NC and DP, had recurrent episodes of lower respiratory tract i nfection and fever and both had been investigated by bronchoscopy on 4 occa sions. hi. fermentans was detected in specimens taken 18 and 27 months apar t for NC and DP respectively, and in between, and repeatedly in respiratory tract tissues of DP. Granuloma were identified in the liver of NC that was M. fermentans positive but no further evidence of opportunistic infection was found during his illness. Both patients had M. fermentans positive bone marrow specimens. Assessment of the patients' records suggested that in on e patient hi. fermentans may have contributed to the respiratory disease an d in the other to the systemic disease.