Atypical Mycobacterial Diseases Workup

  • Author: Noah S Scheinfeld, MD, JD, FAAD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 2, 2011
 

Laboratory Studies

The optimal way to diagnosis atypical mycobacteria is by performing a culture of tissue. This should be performed at multiple temperatures 25°, 37°, and 42° to ensure that the cultures grow out all possible pathogens.

The development of DNA fingerprinting technology, especially pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, has been suggested as a diagnostic tool. Polymerase chain reaction has been used to aid in diagnosing these conditions.

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Imaging Studies

In 1999, Erasmus et al[32] noted that the radiologic manifestations of pulmonary atypical mycobacteria infection are protean and include consolidation, cavitation, fibrosis, nodules, bronchiectasis, and adenopathy. Pulmonary atypical mycobacteria infection has 5 distinct clinicoradiologic manifestations: classic infection, nonclassic infection, nodules in patients who are asymptomatic, infection in patients with achalasia, and infection in patients who are immunocompromised. Although classic atypical mycobacteria infection may be indistinguishable from active tuberculosis, it is usually more indolent. The characteristic radiologic features of nonclassic atypical mycobacteria infection include bronchiectasis and centrilobular nodules isolated to or most severe in the lingula and the middle lobe. In patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, mediastinal or hilar adenopathy is the most common radiographic finding.

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Other Tests

The purified protein derivative test result is usually negative in infections with atypical mycobacteria.

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Procedures

A biopsy of the skin, the cervical nodes, and the lung can be used to diagnose atypical mycobacteria. The tissue obtained can be used for cultures of the tissue and for histopathologic examination.

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Histologic Findings

Histopathologic examination of tissue can reveal tuberculoid, palisading, and sarcoidlike granulomas; a diffuse infiltrate of histiocytic foamy cells; acute and chronic panniculitis; nonspecific chronic inflammation; cutaneous abscesses; suppurative granulomas; and necrotizing folliculitis. Suppurative granulomas are the most characteristic feature in skin biopsy specimens from cutaneous atypical mycobacteria infections. The evolution of the disease and the immunologic status of the host may explain this spectrum of morphologic changes.

Some authorities note severe inflammatory lesions involved with the dermis and the hypodermis; these can have 3 main histopathologic patterns: granulomatous nodular or diffuse inflammation with mixed granulomas, prevailing abscesses with mild granulomatous reaction, and deep dermal and subcutaneous granulomatous inflammation with no neutrophil component.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Noah S Scheinfeld, MD, JD, FAAD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary; Private Practice

Noah S Scheinfeld, MD, JD, FAAD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Optigenex Consulting fee Independent contractor

Specialty Editor Board

Takeji Nishikawa, MD  Emeritus Professor, Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine; Director, Samoncho Dermatology Clinic; Managing Director, The Waksman Foundation of Japan Inc

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David F Butler, MD  Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic

David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey P Callen, MD  Professor of Medicine (Dermatology), Chief, Division of Dermatology, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Jeffrey P Callen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology

Disclosure: Amgen Honoraria Consulting; Abbott Honoraria Consulting; Electrical Optical Sciences Consulting fee Consulting; Celgene Honoraria Safety Monitoring Committee; GSK - Glaxo Smith Kline Consulting fee Consulting; TenXBioPharma Consulting fee Safety Monitoring Committee

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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