Disseminated mycobacterium avium complex infection

Disseminated *Mycobacterium avium* complex infection is a severe, multi-organ systemic illness caused by ubiquitous nontuberculous mycobacteria, primarily *Mycobacterium avium* and *Mycobacterium intracellulare* It predominantly develops as an opportunistic infection in severely immunocompromised individuals, most notably those with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection presenting with CD4 T-lymphocyte counts below 50 cells/µL, as well as transplant recipients or other heavily immunosu...

Disseminated *Mycobacterium avium* complex infection is a severe, multi-organ systemic illness caused by ubiquitous nontuberculous mycobacteria, primarily *Mycobacterium avium* and *Mycobacterium intracellulare* Clinically, it is characterized by chronic, debilitating constitutional signs, including high fevers, drenching night sweats, involuntary weight loss, fatigue, profound anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy

It predominantly develops as an opportunistic infection in severely immunocompromised individuals, most notably those with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection presenting with CD4 T-lymphocyte counts below 50 cells/µL, as well as transplant recipients or other heavily immunosuppressed patients

Pathophysiologically, the bacteria translocate across the mucosal barrier of the gastrointestinal or respiratory tract and spread hematogenously to the reticuloendothelial system and other organ tissues, leading to high-grade mycobacteremia