A rare case of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex with colitis in a renal transplant recipient

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) colitis is a rare complication of immunosuppression in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Here, we describe a case of disseminated MAC infection with colitis following renal transplantation. Despite common pathways of immunosuppression, SOT recipients and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients differ in their typical presentations of MAC infection. Intestinal infections have been more commonly reported in HIV-infected patients than in SOT recipients. The explanation for this difference may be related to HIV's targeted effects on the CD4+ T-cell reservoir in gut-associated lymphoid tissue.