Mycobacterium kansasii infection in a Paris suburb: comparison of disease presentation and outcome according to human immunodeficiency virus status. Groupe dEtude Des Mycobactéries de la Seine-Saint-Denis.

SETTING: Department of Seine-Saint-Denis, France.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the presentation and outcome of Mycobacterium kansasii infections according to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status.
DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of all the medical charts of adults meeting the diagnostic criteria of the American Thoracic Society for M. kansasii infection between 1991 and 1995.
RESULTS: Between 1991 and 1995, 35 cases (23 HIV-[6%] and 12 HIV+ [34%]) were found, giving an annual incidence of 0.5/100000. The following particularities were common to both groups: 1) frequency and prominence of respiratory and general symptoms, 2) rarity of clinically apparent extra-thoracic involvement, 3) bacteriological confirmation mostly obtained with respiratory tract specimens, 4) favourable bacteriological outcome, and 5) low mortality attributable to the mycobacterial infection. The most striking differences concerned chest radiography: HIV- patients had apical cavitated and nodular lesions, while HIV+ patients exhibited a variety of other patterns, including alveolar infiltrates, miliary lesions and/or thoracic lymphadenopathy.
CONCLUSION: Apart from pulmonary radiographic differences, presentation and short-term outcome of M. kansasii infections were similar in HIV+ and HIV-patients.