[The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of the lung pathology due to mycobacteria in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection].

The HIV infection has resulted in a marked increase in the incidence of disease caused by non-tuberculous and tuberculous mycobacteria. Although tuberculosis, in spite of other mycobacterioses, should not be even regarded as a marker of AIDS, recent epidemiological data collected in many countries and in Italy, highlight the correlation between the risk of tbc and the risk of AIDS. Furthermore, the evaluation of AIDS patient with active tbc, shows often atypical clinical patterns (rare cavitation, miliary lesions being common), probably related to a different lung immunoreactions caused by HIV infection.