Mycobacterium genavense infection presenting as a solitary brain mass in a patient with AIDS: case report and review

Clin Infect Dis. 1994 Dec;19(6):1152-4. doi: 10.1093/clinids/19.6.1152.

Abstract

Patients with AIDS are prone to developing infections with opportunistic pathogens. Recently, a new mycobacterium, Mycobacterium genavense, has been found to cause infection in patients with AIDS. Previously published reports indicate that patients who are infected with this organism present with the same clinical features as do patients with disseminated infection due to organisms of the Mycobacterium avium complex. We describe an unusual case of a patient with AIDS who presented with grand mal seizures and a mass lesion in his brain, which was found to be caused by infection with M. genavense. No evidence of disseminated infection could be found in this patient. We discuss the microbiology of this organism and review the literature on M. genavense infections. Clinicians should be aware of this organism so that efforts at culture and identification will be made.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / microbiology
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy
  • Brain Diseases / microbiology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / diagnosis*
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / drug therapy
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents