Lack of T-Lymphocytosis and Poor Interferon Gamma Production in BAL Fluid from HIV-negative Immunocompetent Patients with Pulmonary Non-tuberculous Mycobacteriosis

Abstract

Very little is known about the pathogenesis of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis in immunocompent individuals. Local inflammatory response was assessed by examining bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 13 HIV-negative patients (12 F) without known cell-mediated immunosuppression, aged 48-72 y (median age 60 y), with non-tuberculous lung mycobacteriosis. Macrophages, lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear neutrophils and eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were analysed morphologically, and the subsets of T-lymphocytes (CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺), HLA-DR⁺, B-lymphocytes (CD19⁺) and CD16⁺/CD56⁺