Control of Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium intracellulare infections with respect to distinct granuloma formations in livers of BALB/c mice

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing nontuberculous Mycobacterium that can cause a range of diseases in humans. Complications from M. fortuitum infection have been associated with numerous surgical procedures. A protective immune response against pathogenic mycobacterial infections is dependent on the granuloma formation. Within the granuloma, the macrophage effector response can inhibit bacterial replication and mediate the intracellular killing of bacteria. The granulomatous responses of BALB/c mice to rapidly and slowly growing mycobacteria were assessed in vivo and the bacterial loads in spleens and livers from M. fortuitum and Mycobacterium intracellulare-infected mice, as well as the number and size of granulomas in liver sections, were quantified. Bacterial loads were found to be approximately two times lower in M. fortuitum-infected mice than in M. intracellulare-infected mice and M. fortuitum-infected mice presented fewer granulomas compared to M. intracellulare-infected mice. These granulomas were characterized by the presence of Mac-1+ and CD4+ cells. Additionally, IFN-γmRNA expression was higher in the livers of M. fortuitum-infected mice than in those of M. intracellulare-infected mice. These data clearly show that mice are more capable of controlling an infection with M. fortuitum than M. intracellulare. This capacity is likely related to distinct granuloma formations in mice infected with M. fortuitum but not with M. intracellulare.

Infecção por Cryptococcus limitada à próstata em paciente aidético com micobacteriose disseminada: relato de necropsia / Cryptococcus infection limited to the prostate in an AIDS patient with disseminated mycobacteriosis: a necropsy report

Relata-se caso de infecção criptocócica confinada à próstata, como achado de necropsia, em homem de 32 anos portador da síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida (SIDA) com micobacteriose disseminada. Enfatiza-se a importância do achado incidental em necropsia e a persistência dessa infecção micótica na próstata.

This is a case report of asymptomatic and restrained cryptococcal prostatic infection in a 32-year-old black male with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, whose death was caused by systemic mycobacteriosis probably pertaining to MAI complex. The importance of autopsy studies to evaluate the real prevalence of fungus infections in AIDS patients, specially in cases of persistent silent focuses, is emphasized.