Mycobacterium Avium Complex Presenting as Pulmonary Nodules in a Child With Sickle Cell Disease

The case of a 10-year-old child with sickle cell disease with pulmonary nodules and prolonged fevers is reported here. The child was first diagnosed with sarcoidosis based on lung biopsy, but unresponsiveness to therapy led to a second lung biopsy, which revealed the true diagnosis of mycobacterium avium complex disease. Multiple possible explanations for why the patient became infected exist. The patient was baseline immunocompromised due to her sickle cell disease, was exposed to invasive procedures, was taking medications that may predispose to this type of infection, and was found to have a congenital immunodeficiency.