Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Analysis of 18FDG PET/CT Imaging as a Tool for Studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and Treatment in Non-human Primates
Published on: September 5, 2017
Nine-year progression of untreated pulmonary Mycobacterium szulgai infection
Kanwal Randhawa1, Peter Smethurst, Guy W Soo Hoo
1Pulmonary and Critical Care Section, West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA.
Abstract:
A 58-year-old man was seen with complaints of fevers, night sweats, weight loss, and multiple bilateral cavitary lung lesions. Mycobacterium szulgai with nearly identical antibiograms grew from separate sputum specimens 9 years apart. He was treated with a combination of clarithromycin and ethambutol with clinical, microbiologic, and radiographic resolution of disease. This is the longest untreated case of documented Mycobacterium szulgai infection reported, and offers a glimpse of its natural history when left untreated. Despite an infrequent isolation (<0.5% of cases), it is a pathogenic organism which warrants treatment.
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis II
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Tuberculosis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
