Survival of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection with and without antimycobacterial chemotherapy.

The contribution of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (DMAC) infection to the morbidity and mortality of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is unclear. Previous studies that suggested the decreased survival of patients with AIDS and DMAC had incomplete information on patient immunologic status and follow-up. We studied patients with AIDS and DMAC and compared their survival with that of AIDS patients without DMAC but with other comparable risk factors for survival. Case and control subjects were similar in terms of CD4 cell count, prior AIDS status, history of antiretroviral therapy, history of Pneumocystis carinii prophylaxis, and year of diagnosis. A group of 39 patients with untreated DMAC had significantly shorter survival, mean of 5.6 +/- 1.1 months (median 4 months), than 39 matched patients with AIDS but without DMAC, mean 10.8 +/- 1.3 months (median 11 months, p less than 0.0001). The survival of 16 additional patients with DMAC who received antimycobacterial therapy, mean of 9.5 +/- 1.4 months (median 8 months), was not significantly shorter than that of an additional 16 matched control subjects, mean 11.7 +/- 1.9 months (median 11 months, p = 0.58). Patients with treated DMAC survived significantly longer than those with untreated DMAC (p less than 0.01). We conclude that untreated DMAC significantly shortens survival. Moreover, these results indicate that patients with DMAC who receive antimycobacterial therapy do not experience the shortened survival seen in untreated DMAC.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto syndrome during pregnancy.

Necrotizing lymphadenitis of the Kikuchi-Fujimoto type developed in our patient during her first trimester of pregnancy, but she carried the infant to full term with no apparent adverse effect. Two subsequent pregnancies were not associated with reactivation of the disorder, nor with any recognizable adverse effect on the fetuses. A pregnancy should not be terminated because of Kikuchi-Fujimoto necrotizing lymphadenitis when it develops during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Clindamycin/primaquine therapy and secondary prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS.

We found a program of intravenous and subsequent oral clindamycin, combined with oral primaquine, to be effective for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in nine patients with AIDS. The pneumonias were either primary or recurrent and sometimes severe, with cavity formation and/or pneumothorax. Maintenance therapy at lowered dose by mouth was effective in preventing recurrence in seven patients. One patient died of other opportunistic infections on day 24, and therapy was discontinued in another on day 11 because of skin rash. We conclude that clindamycin/primaquine is effective for therapy of P carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS, as well as for long-term secondary prophylaxis at lowered dosage.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a working case definition.

The chronic Epstein-Barr virus syndrome is a poorly defined symptom complex characterized primarily by chronic or recurrent debilitating fatigue and various combinations of other symptoms, including sore throat, lymph node pain and tenderness, headache, myalgia, and arthralgias. Although the syndrome has received recent attention, and has been diagnosed in many patients, the chronic Epstein-Barr virus syndrome has not been defined consistently. Despite the name of the syndrome, both the diagnostic value of Epstein-Barr virus serologic tests and the proposed causal relationship between Epstein-Barr virus infection and patients who have been diagnosed with the chronic Epstein-Barr virus syndrome remain doubtful. We propose a new name for the chronic Epstein-Barr virus syndrome--the chronic fatigue syndrome--that more accurately describes this symptom complex as a syndrome of unknown cause characterized primarily by chronic fatigue. We also present a working definition for the chronic fatigue syndrome designed to improve the comparability and reproducibility of clinical research and epidemiologic studies, and to provide a rational basis for evaluating patients who have chronic fatigue of undetermined cause.

Gamma globulin therapy for chronic mononucleosis syndrome.

Antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus, associated with antibody dependent cytotoxic cell activity, were found to be present in diminished titer in 20 of 22 patients tested with chronic mononucleosis syndrome (CMS). Gamma globulin was shown to improve symptoms in 53% of the patients treated, compared with 32% of placebo injections. 89.5% of 57 patients treated with a gamma globulin treatment program remained in the treatment program because of relief of symptoms, and only four patients dropped out because there was no relief of symptoms or side effects. Four patients experienced complete relief of symptoms following a variable length treatment program. It would appear that intramuscular gamma globulin treatment is efficacious in the treatment of CMS and that the average interval between treatments is three weeks.

Chronic mononucleosis syndrome.

We present data on 14 patients with chronic symptoms of disabling fatigue in association with serologic evidence of active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Two thirds were women, and the average age at onset was 29.6 years. Forty-three percent were known to have had previous infectious mononucleosis, but the usual criteria for that diagnosis were not helpful with the present syndrome. Eighty-six percent had serologic evidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Profound immunodeficiency was not present, but 71% had partial hypogammaglobulinemia, and minor abnormalities of T cell subsets were noted in six of seven patients studied. Fifty-seven percent achieved temporary serologic and symptomatic remission after an average duration of 33 months. Only one patient has a sustained remission. Comparison is made with other reported chronic, recurrent, and persistent EBV syndromes, and tentative diagnostic criteria for chronic mononucleosis syndrome are presented. Recently available EBV serologic techniques allow for identification of patients who have reactivated EBV infection, and this reactivation may be related to symptoms.

Cefoxitin therapy for Mycobacterium fortuitum bacteremia with associated granulomatous hepatitis.

Mycobacterium fortuitum bacteremia with granulomatous hepatitis complicating home cyclic parenteral nutrition through an indwelling Broviac catheter occurred in a 41-year-old woman. She was successfully treated with intravenous cefoxitin and removal of the indwelling central catheter. The granulomatous hepatitis occurred in the apparent absence of mycobacteria from the liver. Incorrect identification of the organism as Corynebacterium J-K led to a change of antimicrobial therapy and clinical deterioration. It is recommended that acid-fast stains be done on "diphtheroids" when such isolates are suspected pathogens.

Propionibacterium acnes central nervous system shunt infection. Commercial blood culture medium-dependent isolation of the bacterium.

A 58-year-old woman had a central nervous system shunt infection and septicemia caused by Propionibacterium acnes. During a two-year period, many Becton-Dickinson blood cultures (18 of 39) were positive for P. acnes, but all BACTEC blood cultures (15) were negative. Parallel cultures in the two commercial media performed simultaneously on the same blood samples several times resulted in a positive Becton-Dickinson culture and a negative BACTEC culture. This case reemphasizes that some bacterial isolates may not be detected when using only one commercial blood culture medium. Thus, if many blood cultures are negative for patients who have clinical features suggestive of septicemia, other types of blood culture media should be inoculated.

Cytosine arabinoside for varicella zoster: a second look.

Herpes zoster and disseminated herpes zoster, or varicella (V-Z), continue to be dreaded complications of patients with immunosuppression. Currently, there is no available therapy for V-Z, except for general supportive measures. Seven cases of V-Z are presented, showing the results of cytosine arabinoside administration when given as an intermittent intravenous infusion. The results compare favorably with previously unsuccessful continuous intravenous infusion. It is suggested that further evaluation of the intermittent administration of cytosine arabinoside for V-Z would be worthwhile.