[Multiple and bilateral nodular opacities revealing primary pulmonary lymphoma of the Burkitt-like type in AIDS].

We report the observation of AIDS patient with a history of cough, dyspnea, fever, cachexia and bilateral nodular opacities at the chest X-ray. Infectious etiologies were initially suspected but the recovery was not obtained with their treatment. Only lung biopsy established the precise diagnosis of primary pulmonary Burkitt's-like lymphoma (BBL). The sole extranodal site of BBL at the lungs is an unusual finding. Generally, this lymphomatous proliferation is observed at the early period of the HIV infection. Immunodepression and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are the major pathogenic basis for BL as indicated by the high prevalence of EBV genomes found in malignant cells. The lack of EBV sequences in a significant proportion of Burkitt's lymphoma or BBL and AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma suggest that alternative pathogenic mechanisms may be involved. This observation permit to show the difficulties observed before the multiple and bilateral opacities whom the etiologies are varied. The prognosis of AIDS-associated BLL is very severe.