[Pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium xenopi]

A 54-year old man with pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium xenopi is described. He had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis at 8 years of age. He was admitted to our hospital in October 1992, complaining of productive cough and fever. A chest X-ray on October 20 showed an infiltrative shadow with a cavity, although chest X-ray picture on October 2 showed only inactive shadow, in the right upper lobe. Acid-fast organisms were seen in his sputum specimens and M. xenopi was identified by culture. The isolates were confirmed to be M. xenopi by the DNA-DNA hybridization method. He was treated with isoniazid, rifampicin and streptomycin. The fever decreased within a week. After two months of therapy, sputum cultures became negative and chest X-ray findings improved. It was concluded that this is a case of rapidly progressed pulmonary disease caused by M. xenopi in the normal host. This patient's condition responded to antituberculosis drugs.