Isolation of Mycobacterium avium Complex from Bone Marrow Aspirates of AIDS Patients in Brazil

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection has not been reported as a major opportunistic infection among patients with AIDS in Latin America or Africa. In this study, 125 AIDS patients who had persistent fever, anemia, and leukopenia were examined among 2628 AIDS patients admitted to Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas between May 1990 and April 1992. From the bone marrow aspirates of the 125 patients, MAC was isolated from 23 (18.4%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 9 (7.2%). Between 1985 and 1990, only 11 MAC isolations among 60,000 cultures obtained from human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative patients were documented in São Paulo. Hence, the minimal estimated rate of MAC infection in AIDS patients in this city was 23/2628, or 0.88%. These findings suggest that MAC infection is an important opportunistic infection, especially among a subset of patients with AIDS in Brazil who have clinical characteristics and risk activities similar to those associated with MAC infections in North America and Europe.

Multiple isolates from Aids patients: aspects of an analysis by a genotypic marker and antimicrobial susceptibilities variations

“…It occurs in a range of 15 to 40% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in developed countries and 95% of the isolates are represented by M. avium (Inderlied et al 1993). However, in developing countries such as Brazil, this opportunistic infection was not considered a major problem for Aids patients until recently, when it was demonstrated that MAC infection are beginning to emerge associated with Aids (Barreto et al 1993, Landgraf at al. 1994, Fandinho at al.…”

Predictive value of the acid fast smear for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in respiratory specimens in a Reference Center of HIV/Aids in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Where infection with the HIV became prevalent, the incidence of mycobacteria increased (Horsburgh Jr 1991, Kritski et al 1995, Raviglione et al 1995. Although the impact of HIV infection on the incidence of M.tb has been well described in developing countries, its impact on the incidence and prevalence of NTM has not (Barreto et al 1993, Raviglione et al 1995, Shafer & Edlin 1996. Detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in respiratory specimens is the diagnostic approach for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO 1993).…”

Discrimination of members of the Mycobacterium avium complex by polymerase chain reaction

“…In a study with 125 bone marrow aspirates from AIDS patients in São Paulo, Brazil, conducted between 1990 and 1992, MAC was isolated from 23 samples (18.4%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis from 9 (7.2%). Between 1985 and 1990, only 11 MAC positive cultures were isolated among 60,000 cultures from HIV-negative patients in São Paulo (2). These findings suggest that MAC is an important opportunist in Brazil, specially among AIDS patients.…”