Tuberc Respir Dis.  2013 Mar;74(3):124-128.

Mycobacterium intracellulare Pleurisy Identified on Liquid Cultures of the Pleural Fluid and Pleural Biopsy

• Lim JG
• O SW
• Lee KD
• Suk DK
• Jung TY
• Shim TS
• Chon GR

Abstract

Pleural effusion is a rare complication in non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. We report a case of Mycobacterium intracellulare pleuritis with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in a 69-year-old man presenting with dyspnea. Pleural effusion revealed lymphocyte dominant exudate. M. intracellulare was identified using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method and liquid cultures of pleural effusion and pleural biopsy. After combination therapy for M. intracellulare pulmonary disease, the patient was clinically well at a 1-month follow-up.

Keyword

Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous; Mycobacterium avium Complex; Pleural Effusion

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Dyspnea
Exudates and Transudates
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Lung Diseases
Lymphocytes
Mycobacterium
Mycobacterium avium Complex
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous
Pleural Effusion
Pleurisy

Figure

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  Figure 1 Chest X-ray findings. (A) On admission, chest X-ray revealed left pleural effusion with reticular densities in the bibasilar area. (B) At a 1-month follow-up, chest X-ray revealed improvement of left pleural effusion.

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  Figure 2 High-resolution computed tomography findings. (A) Mediastinal window setting revealed a moderate amount of left pleural effusion with subtle pleural thickening. (B) Lung window setting revealed multifocal, ill-defined, patchy reticular opacities with honeycombing lesions in both lower lobes of the lung.

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