Clinical investigation of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex infection in human T lymphotrophic virus type I carriers.

BACKGROUND Little is known about pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in human T lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I) carriers. A study was undertaken to investigate and clarify the characteristics of pulmonary MAC infection in these subjects. METHODS Twenty nine patients with pulmonary MAC infection without any underlying pulmonary disorder were investigated. The clinical features and radiographic appearance of HTLV-I carriers and non-carriers were compared and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of these 29 patients and eight normal female control subjects was analysed. RESULTS The prevalence of the HTLV-I carrier state in patients with pulmonary MAC infection was 34.5% (10/29) compared with 16.7% (529/3169) among all patients admitted to our department between 1994 and 1998 (odds ratio (OR) 2.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21 to 5.68). The HTLV-I carriers were all women and all had clinical symptoms, but they did not show systemic dissemination. Peripheral multifocal bronchiectasis with nodular shadowing was seen frequently on the chest computed tomographic (CT) scans of HTLV-I carriers. The area of the pulmonary lesions was more extensive than in non-carriers (p<0.05). White blood cell (WBC) counts and C reactive protein (CRP) levels on admission were significantly lower in HTLV-I carriers than in non-carriers (WBC: difference (D) = 1565/microl, 95% CI -68.9 to 3198.4/microl; CRP: D = 1.8 mg/dl, 95% CI -0.35 to 3.89 mg/dl). The concentrations of neutrophil elastase (NE) and interleukin (IL)-8 in BAL fluid were significantly higher in HTLV-I carriers than in non-carriers (NE: D = 1342 microg/l, 95% CI 704 to 1980.3 microg/l; IL-8: D = 304.5 pg/ml, 95% CI 89.7 to 519. 4 pg/ml). CONCLUSIONS Pulmonary MAC infection causes more diffuse and widespread lesions in HTLV-I carriers than in non-carriers.