Acute necrotizing pneumonia combined with parapneumonic effusion caused by Mycobacterium lentiflavum: a case report

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infections of the pleura: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pleuritis is an uncommon manifestation of NTM infection. Case reports and small case series have shown a variable clinical course and high mortality rates.

OBJECTIVE

To describe patients' characteristics, clinical presentation and outcomes of NTM pleural infections.

METHODS

A systematic review of cases of NTM pleural infections published in PubMed-indexed journals from 1980 to 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 206 cases of NTM pleural infections were found and analyzed. Fifty-eight percent of cases were males. The mean age was 57.5 yrs (range 9-87 yrs). Forty-three percent of patients were immunosuppressed, and 43% had a chronic lung disease; thirty-two percent had neither risk factor. In addition to the pleural infection, 67% of cases had a concurrent pulmonary NTM infection, and in 18 cases there was another extrapulmonary site of NTM infection. In 29% of cases the pleural infection was the sole manifestation of NTM disease. The most common isolated mycobacterium was Mycobacterium avium complex (65%). Fifty-three percent and 26% of patients required pleural effusion drainage and a surgical intervention, respectively, to treat the infection, in addition to anti-NTM chemotherapy. Forty percent of patients developed pneumothorax, 16% suffered from empyema, and 16.5% had broncho-pleural fistula. The reported mortality rate was 24%.

CONCLUSION

NTM pleural infections may arise in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients, with or without chronic lung disease or concurrent NTM pulmonary infection. These infections carry a poor prognosis and a high risk of complications requiring surgical interventions in addition to anti-NTM chemotherapy.

Mycobacterium abscessus ssp. abscessus infection progressing to empyema from vertebral osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent patient without pulmonary disease: a case report

BACKGROUND

Pleural involvement by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in patients without distinct pulmonary disease is extremely rare. Vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) with or without pulmonary disease is also a rare clinical presentation of NTM infection, and pleural spread of NTM from VO has not been reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with back pain persisting for 4 months and a 2-day history of fever and right chest pain. The patient was initially treated as right-sided empyema due to general bacteria. However, after removal of the chest tube, a previously overlooked paravertebral lesion was observed on CT. MRI confirmed VO at T7/8. Mycobacterium abscessus ssp. abscessus was detected in both the thoracic cavity and the paravertebral lesion. Both VO and the paravertebral abscess were improved by antimycobacterial treatment.

CONCLUSION

VO of the thoracic spine due to non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection should be considered as a cause of pleuritis or empyema without pulmonary disease, especially in patients with back pain.

Clinical characteristics of pulmonary Mycobacterium lentiflavum disease in adult patients

BACKGROUND

Mycobacterium lentiflavum is a slow-growing non-tuberculous Mycobacterium that is often associated with an immunocompromised state and cervical lymphadenitis in young children. However, little is known about the clinical importance of pulmonary infection with M. lentiflavum in adults.

METHODS

The medical records of all adults who met the diagnostic criteria of pulmonary M. lentiflavum disease at Keio University Hospital and Fukujuji Hospital from 2001 to 2015 were reviewed. In addition, the PubMed database was searched to identify further reported cases in non-HIV adults.

RESULTS

Five cases of pulmonary M. lentiflavum disease were identified in the medical records search and 11 additional cases were identified in the literature review. Eleven of the total 16 cases were female, and 15 of 16 cases showed a nodular/bronchiectatic pattern on chest computed tomography imaging. No cases showed an aggressive clinical course of pulmonary M. lentiflavum disease, although one patient died of an exacerbation of underlying vasculitis and bacterial pneumonia.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical characteristics of pulmonary M. lentiflavum disease in adult patients were identified. This disease mainly affects females, displays a nodular/bronchiectatic pattern on chest computed tomography imaging, and does not demonstrate an aggressive clinical course. Further larger studies are needed to reveal detailed clinical features.

Pleuritis Caused by Mycobacterium kyorinense without Pulmonary Involvement

We herein describe the first known case of pleuritis caused by Mycobacterium kyorinense without pulmonary involvement. A 48-year-old man undergoing immunosuppressant therapy presented with cough and dyspnea. An accumulation of pleural fluid was noted; however, computed tomography revealed no pulmonary lesions. Cultures of the fluid yielded non-tuberculous mycobacteria, which was identified as Mycobacterium kyorinense. The patient recovered after 6 months of therapy with clarithromycin and moxifloxacin. Clinicians should be aware that Mycobacterium kyorinense can cause pleuritis without pulmonary involvement. When mycobacterial species are isolated from the pleural fluid, precise identification and drug susceptibility testing are warranted.