Comparison of mycobacterial lymphadenitis among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus and seronegative controls.

Lymphadenitis is a common extrapulmonary manifestation of mycobacterial disease in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We compared the clinical, mycobacterial, and diagnostic characteristics of mycobacterial adenitis in 11 HIV-seropositive and 29 HIV-seronegative patients. Ninety-three percent of the HIV-seronegative patients and 54% of the HIV-seropositive patients were foreign-born. In contrast to the HIV-seronegative patients, seropositive patients were more likely to be febrile and have negative purified protein derivative skin tests and abnormal chest roentgenograms. Sputum samples were rarely diagnostic in either group. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most commonly isolated organism in both groups, although United States-born patients with HIV infection were more likely to be infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria. In contrast to results for seronegative patients, fine-needle aspiration was usually diagnostic in the HIV-seropositive population, especially in those at risk for M. tuberculosis infection. Similarly, the rate at which smears were positive for acid-fast bacilli was significantly higher in the HIV-seropositive group, a circumstance suggesting a higher burden of organisms in this population. Finally, although preceding opportunistic infections were uncommon in the HIV-seropositive group, both tuberculous and nontuberculous adenitis were associated with advanced immunosuppression.