Atypical mycobacterial infection of the lung in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

LiverpoolSUMMARY Mycobacterium kansasii was isolated from a cavitating pneumonia found in a 51 year old man with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, and treatment was complicated by drug induced neuropathy.

Atypical mycobacteriosis in two patients with rheumatoid arthritis

“…RA is one of the risk factors in atypical Mycobacterium infections; this may be a result of disease-related, impaired cell-mediated immunity and antibody-producing capacity, or the reduced chemotactic responses of polymorphonuclear cells. 4 It has also been reported that CD4ϩ T cells and γ/d T cells from MAC patients were defective in inducing anti-MAC activity. 8 T-cell-dependent growth inhibition and production of interferon-γ and macrophage colony-stimulating factor decreased in those patients.…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7] Almost all patients received corticosteroids with or without immunosuppressive drugs. We report here two cases of RA with atypical mycobacteriosis, even though no immunosuppressive agents were used.…”

An Autopsy Case of Mycobacterium abscessus Pulmonary Infection Complicated with Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…They suggested that RA would be associated with NTM pulmonary diseases even in the absence of treatment with immunosuppressant agents. Watkin et al reported a case of Mycobacterium kansasii pulmonary disease with RA and discussed whether the suppression of cellular immunity or immunosuppression mediated by neutrophils would increase the tendency of infection in RA patients (12). In recent times, more aggressive treatment of RA with biological drugs is recommended.…”