Abstract
A healthy 24-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital was suspected of having an infectious bulla of the lung because an intrabullous effusion was seen on a chest radiograph. A bulla of the right lung had been found 2 years earlier during a periodic health examination. On a chest radiograph, a bullous lesion with a niveau-like shadow (14 × 7 cm) was noted in the right lower lobe of the lung. On puncture aspiration, the bulla fluid was found to be exudative and contained mostly lymphocytes. A smear examination for acid-fast bacilli was positive, as was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) examination for Mycobacterium intracellulare. Therefore, a diagnosis of infectious lung bulla caused by M. intracellulare was made. A right lower lobectomy was performed. On macroscopic examination of the resected lesion, the area surrounding the bulla was whitish in color, and microscopic examination of this area showed a caseating epitheloid granuloma with acid-fast bacilli. We report this case because there have been no previous reports in the literature of infectious lung bulla caused by M. intracellulare although there have been several reports dealing with lung bulla caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
TE Hartman SJ Swensen DE Williams (1993) ArticleTitleMycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex: evaluation with CT Radiology 187 23–6 Occurrence Handle8451419 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC1MjltFY%3D
K Yanase M Nakamura T Toyota et al. (1995) ArticleTitleTwo cases of tubercle bacilli infected pulmonary bulla Kekkaku 71 277–82
Y Kobashi Y Niki H Kawane T Matsushima (1995) ArticleTitleFour cases of pulmonary tuberculosis resembling pulmonary abscess with a so-called niveau-like shadow in a medical school hospital: discussion concerning the formation mechanism of niveau-like shadows Kekkaku 71 311–6
R Goto H Katsura K Yamada T Motegi K Kida (2002) ArticleTitleA case of infected bulla caused by Mycobacterium gordonae Nippon Kokyuki Gakkaishi 40 26–30
M Sakatani (1994) ArticleTitleNontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) in Japan–epidemiologic and clinical study Kekkaku 69 119–24 Occurrence Handle8126988 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByuC2s3ptFU%3D
CR Horsburgh (1991) ArticleTitleMycobacterium avium complex infection in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome N Engl J Med 324 1332–8 Occurrence Handle2017230
InstitutionalAuthorNameJapanese Society for Tuberculosis (2003) ArticleTitleDiagnostic criteria of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease Kekkaku 78 569–72
JR Cohen JK Amorosa PR Smith (1978) ArticleTitleThe air-fluid level in cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis Radiology 127 315–6 Occurrence Handle644050 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSeC2MfosVU%3D
DP Farman WA Speir (1986) ArticleTitleInitial roentogenographic manifestation of bacteriological proven mycobacterium tuberculosis, typical or atypical? Chest 89 75–7 Occurrence Handle3940794 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BimD1c%2FpsFA%3D
E Rothstein JW Morberly (1952) ArticleTitleEmphysematous bullae and pulmonary tuberculosis Dis Chest 22 587–97 Occurrence Handle12989023 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CyyD3MzivVA%3D
K Sunami I Yamadori S Ozaki et al. (1995) ArticleTitleA case of bilateral emphysematous giant bullae complicated with tuberculous infection Nippon Kyoubu Rinshou 54 839–44
InstitutionalAuthorNameJapanese Society for Tuberculosis (1998) ArticleTitleTreatment of nontuberculous mycobactreria Kekkaku 73 588–605
InstitutionalAuthorNameAmerican Thoracic Society (1997) ArticleTitleDiagnosis and treatment of disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria Am J Respir Crit Care Med 156 S1–S25
RJ Wallace SuffixJr BA Brown DE Griffith WM Girard DT Murphy (1996) ArticleTitleClarithromycin regimen for pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease Am J Respir Crit Care Med 153 1766–72 Occurrence Handle8665032
E Tanaka T Kimoto K Tsuyuguchi I Watanabe H Matsumoto A Niimi et al. (1999) ArticleTitleEffect of clarithromycin regimen for Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease Am J Respir Crit Care Med 160 866–72 Occurrence Handle10471610 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1Mvgtlahug%3D%3D
Y Kobashi T Matsushima (2003) ArticleTitleThe effect of combined therapy according to the guidelines for the treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease Intern Med 42 670–5 Occurrence Handle12924489 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXotFCrurg%3D
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Kobashi, Y., Yoshida, K., Miyashita, N. et al. Infectious bulla of the lung caused by Mycobacterium intracellulare. J Infect Chemother 11, 293–296 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10156-005-0409-8
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10156-005-0409-8