A Case of Rapid Exacerbation of Pulmonary Mycobacterium Avium Complex Infection Mimicking Pulmonary Aspergillosis

Abstract

We herein report a case of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection with pulmonary multiple nodules and the “halo sign” on chest computed tomography (CT) in which the patient showed rapid exacerbation seven years after undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). A 68-year-old Japanese female visited our hospital due to a productive cough and dyspnea. She had undergone allogeneic BMT for acute myelocytic leukemia and received both prednisolone (2 mg/day) and cyclosporine (30 mg/day). Chest CT demonstrated no abnormal findings on admission; however, multiple pulmonary nodules and the “halo sign” were detected three weeks later. Although a fungal infection was initially suspected, a bronchoscopic examination revealed pulmonary MAC infection. In the present case, pulmonary MAC infection exhibited rapid progression with unique CT findings. Physicians should consider MAC infection in the differential diagnosis in patients who receive BMT and/or immunosuppressive agents, even if the clinical and radiological findings are atypical of the disease.