Mesothelial Cells in Tuberculous Pleural Effusions of HIV-Infected Patients

• Published in: Chest Vol. 117; no. 1; pp. 289 - 291
• Main Authors: Jones, Denis, Lieb, Thomas, Narita, Masahiro, Hollender, Elena S., Pitchenik, Arthur E., Ashkin, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Northbrook, IL Elsevier Inc 01.01.2000; American College of Chest Physicians; Elsevier B.V
• Subjects: Adult; AFB = acid-fast bacilli; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - pathology; AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Cell Count; Complications and side effects; Diagnosis, Differential; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Female; HIV - genetics; HIV infection; Humans; IL = interleukin; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; LDH = lactate dehydrogenase; Male; Medical sciences; mesothelial cells; Mesothelium; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification; Physiological aspects; Pleural Effusion - microbiology; Pleural Effusion - pathology; Pleural effusions; Radiography, Thoracic; RNA, Viral - analysis; TB = tuberculosis; Th = T-helper; tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Pleural - microbiology; Tuberculosis, Pleural - pathology; AFB = acid-fast bacilli; TB = tuberculosis; pleural effusions; Th = T-helper; tuberculosis; LDH = lactate dehydrogenase; mesothelial cells; IL = interleukin; Human; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Mesothelium; Effusion; Respiratory disease; Lung; Cytology; Exploration; AIDS; Mycobacterial infection; Immune deficiency; Infection; Case study; Pathology; Concomitant disease; Tuberculosis; Viral disease; Bacteriosis; Pleural disease; Complication; Pleural fluid; Pleura
• ISSN: 0012-3692; 1931-3543
• DOI: 10.1378/chest.117.1.289

The scarcity of mesothelial cells is a well-known characteristic oftuberculous pleural effusions. We report three HIV-infected patientswith tuberculous pleural effusions, in which mesothelial cells werefound in significant numbers in the pleural fluid. Clinicians should beaware that the altered immune responses that occur in HIV-infectedpatients may affect the cytologic profile of tuberculous pleuraleffusions, and they should be cautious not to exclude this diagnosisbased solely on the presence of mesothelial cells in thefluid.