Spontaneous perforation of the terminal ileum in an AIDS patient on highly active antiretroviral therapy with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Background: Despite the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), mycobacterial infections in patients with AIDS remain a frequent complication. In disseminated cases, both tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections may involve the gastrointestinal system and cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. While there have been cases of small bowel perforation in AIDS patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection, no case of bowel perforation in non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection has been reported to date.

Methods: We report a case of spontaneous perforation of the terminal ileum in an AIDS patient with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection who was responding to HAART.

Conclusions: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria can lead to spontaneous bowel perforation in patients with AIDS who are responding to HAART.