A case of "hot tub lung" due to Mycobacterium avium complex in an immunocompetent host

Pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) typically occurs in patients with impaired cellular immunity or chronic lung disease. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of reports of pulmonary disease caused by MAC occurring in otherwise healthy individuals, including thos...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inArchives of internal medicine (1960) Vol. 163; no. 7; p. 845
Main Authors Cappelluti, Erika, Fraire, Armando E, Schaefer, Oren P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 14.04.2003
Subjects
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Immunocompetence
Middle Aged
Mycobacterium avium Complex - isolation & purification
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection - microbiology
Pneumonia - diagnosis
Pneumonia - diagnostic imaging
Pneumonia - microbiology
Pneumonia - pathology
Radiography
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:Pulmonary disease due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) typically occurs in patients with impaired cellular immunity or chronic lung disease. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of reports of pulmonary disease caused by MAC occurring in otherwise healthy individuals, including those reporting recent hot tub use. It is not clear if this respiratory illness represents a true infectious process or a hypersensitivity pneumonitis. We report a case of diffuse pulmonary disease caused by MAC in an immunocompetent individual after hot tub use. The patient's clinical course, transbronchial lung biopsy results, and microbiologic examination findings all pointed to a hypersensitivity reaction due to MAC. With avoidance of the hot tub, and no pharmacological treatment, the patient had complete resolution within 2 months. In light of the number of new cases of "hot tub lung" in otherwise healthy individuals, clinicians should advise their patients of the potential risk associated with hot tub use.
ISSN:0003-9926
DOI:10.1001/archinte.163.7.845