Abstract
In Japan, lymphadenitis due to mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli is very rare, since only two cases have been reported.
Recently, the authors have encountered a case of preauricular and cervical adenitis, from which M. intracellulare and M. scrofulaceum were isolated.
A 48-year-old man was admitted on July 9, 1970, to the Hiroshima University Hospital, for the treatment of erythema and pustule of almost all over the body. He was given dexamethasone, 69 mg, in 4 to 2 mg doses daily for 25 days. At that time the right preauricular and cervical nodes were enlarged and sinuses were open. Numerous acid-fast rods were found on direct smear of pus from a fistula. Tissue study of a preauricular node revealed granulo matous lesions. Acid-fast bacterial masses were visualized mostly in macrophages.
Pus obtained from fistulas was digested and decontaminated with 2 per cent sodium hydroxide; and 0.1ml portion of the digestant was inoculated onto one per cent Ogawa egg medium. All of the six specimens obtained from either one out of three fistulas in September, 1970, produced moderate to large number of colonies. All or most of the specimens collected repeatedly seven to ten times from four out of six fistulas in January to July, 1971, produced a few to large number of colonies. Macroscopic colonies were produced in two to three weeks at 37°C in all cases. All isolates, but a scotochromogen isolated on September 19, 1970, were nonphotochromogens.
