[A case of eosinophilic pneumonia associated with Mycobacterium avium infection]

A 54 year-old woman was admitted with cough and high fever. Computed tomographic scan of the chest showed bilateral patchy infiltrates, predominantly in the upper lobes. Eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) accounted for 19% of BALF cells. Furthermore, Mycobacterium avium was isolated from a bronchial washing from the upper area of the right lung (S3) and a sample of sputum which had been submitted for microbial examination about 1 month before admission by another clinic. Based on these finding's the diagnosis of eosinophilic pneumonia associated with Mycobacterium avium infection was established. The infiltrates of the lung rapidly decreased after administration of antituberculous agents. The simultaneous presentation of eosinophilic pneumonia and Mycobacterium avium infection has not been previously reported. Because of the efficacy of antituberculous agents in this case, we concluded that Mycobacterium avium was a cause of eosinophilic pneumonia.