FACTORS AFFECTING IN‐HOSPITAL MORTALITY OF NON‐TUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIAL PULMONARY DISEASE

Aim: To discuss a case of cavitary pneumonia in a 37-year old female with no known co-morbidities Methods and Results: This is a case of a previously healthy 37-year old female with a one year history of decreased oral intake to lose weight, presenting with high grade fever, cough and hypotension on admission. Septic work up revealed chest x-ray findings of a right upper lobe mass with leucocytosis of 35,000 and elevated procalcitonin at 5.51. Further diagnostics with chest CT scan showed a lobulated thick-walled focus with internal mottled lucencies in the right upper lobe measuring 7.7 x 5.6 x 3.5 cm. Biopsy of the lung mass showed chronic inflammatory cells only. No organisms were seen on sputum gram stain, acid fast stain, Mycobacterium tuberculosis Gene Xpert and culture studies. She was treated with Clarithromycin and Meropenem, sent home with Ciprofloxacin and Clindamycin, with good response. On follow up, she was noted to improve clinically with a significant resolution of the upper lobe mass on both chest x-ray and CT scan.