Bartonella quintana and Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfection in an HIV-infected patient with lymphadenitis

J Infect. 2003 May;46(4):244-6. doi: 10.1053/jinf.2002.1040.

Abstract

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is usually associated with Bartonella henselae infection in patients with a history of cat exposure, but Bartonella quintana may also be a cause of chronic lympadenopathy in patients with cat or flea contact. The lymph node histopathology of CSD and tuberculosis may be indistinguishable. We report herein the first description of lymph node coinfection with B. quintana and M. tuberculosis in a 32-year HIV-infected woman. Culture of lymph node biopsy material on Columbia agar with sheep blood and on human endothelial cells in shell vial allowed us to isolate not only B. quintana, but also M. tuberculosis hominis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bartonella quintana / isolation & purification
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / complications*
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / drug therapy
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / microbiology
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Diseases / complications
  • Lymphatic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Lymphatic Diseases / microbiology*
  • Mycobacterium Infections / complications*
  • Mycobacterium Infections / drug therapy
  • Mycobacterium Infections / microbiology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification