Skin testing with Mycobacterium avium sensitin to identify infection with M. avium complex in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract

We sought to determine if patients with cystic fibrosis and sputum cultures positive for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) have delayed-type hypersensitivity to an M. avium sensitin. Seventeen (33%) of 51 selected patients had MAC isolated from at least one sputum culture. Skin tests with purified protein derivative and M. avium sensitin demonstrated that five (10%) of 51 patients were anergic, and anergy was correlated with use of systemic steroids. Sixteen (35%) of 46 nonanergic patients had M. avium-dominant skin test reactions. Twelve (75%) of these 16 patients with cultures positive for MAC had M. avium-dominant skin tests; the specificity of skin testing was 87%. These data suggest that most patients with cystic fibrosis and sputum cultures positive for MAC have infection rather than colonization with MAC. Skin testing with M. avium sensitin is a sensitive and specific method for screening these infections.

• Authors: R Pinto-Powell, K N Olivier, B J Marsh, S Donaldson, H W Parker, W Boyle, M Knowles, M Magnusson, C F von Reyn
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 22 Issue 3 Pg. 560-2 (Mar 1996) ISSN: 1058-4838 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8852979 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antigens
• Antigens, Bacterial
• Tuberculin
• sensitin

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antigens (immunology)
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology)
• Child
• Cystic Fibrosis (complications, immunology, microbiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypersensitivity, Delayed (immunology)
• Intradermal Tests
• Male
• Mycobacterium avium Complex (isolation & purification)
• Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection (complications, immunology, microbiology)
• Opportunistic Infections (complications, immunology, microbiology)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Sputum (microbiology)
• Tuberculin (immunology)