We performed polymerase chain reaction analysis, for Mycobacterium species 16S rRNA, rpoB, andIS6110 sequences, on 25 tissue specimens from patients with sarcoidosis and on 25 control tissue speci-mens consisting of mediastinal or cervical lymph nodes and lung biopsies. Mycobacterium species 16SrRNA sequences were amplified from 12 (48%) and rpoB sequences from 6 (24%) of the sarcoidosisspecimens. In total, 16S rRNA or rpoB sequences were amplified from 15 sarcoidosis specimens (60%)but were not detected in any of the control tissues (p=0.00002, chi square). In three specimens, thesequences resembled Mycobacterium species other than M. tuberculosis. All specimens with sequencesconsistent with M. tuberculosis were negative for IS6110. We provide evidence that one of a variety ofMycobacterium species, especially organisms resembling M. tuberculosis, is found in most patients withsarcoidosis
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