[Massive and progressive hepatosplenomegaly caused by disseminated nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

A 28-year-old hemophilia A patient was admitted to our hospital in July, 1991 because of high fever, chronic diarrhea and anemia. The patient had been recognized as a asymptomatic carrier of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 1985 and had developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and had been diagnosed as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1990. Hematologic laboratory examinations on admission revealed pancytopenia and a CD4+ cell count of 3/mm3. X-ray findings of chest and abdomen were normal and bacterial cultures of sputum, urine, blood, stool, cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow yielded no pathogenic microorganisms. Microscopical examination of the stained specimens showed no acid-fast bacilli. On his fifth hospital day, his liver and spleen enlarged markedly and an abdominal CT scan obtained on the 13th day revealed high-grade hepatosplenomegaly. Administration of several kinds of antibiotics, antifungal agents, antiviral agents, antituberculous agents and gamma-globulin medicines did not relieve the symptoms. On the 28th day the patient had developed a subarachnoid hemorrhage and died five days later. Retrospectively all cultures for acid-fast bacilli of the specimens on his admission yielded nontuberculous mycobacteria. The bacteria were identified as Mycobacterium avium by polymerase chain reaction and his disease was eventually diagnosed as disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. The liver and spleen weighed 2,660 g and 1,840 g respectively at autopsy. Although hepatosplenomegaly is commonly recognized in AIDS patients with disseminated MAC infection, such massive and rapid enlargement has been rarely observed. This case study emphasize the importance of diagnosis and rapid treatment at the early stage of MAC infection.