Rhinosinusitis and disseminated cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium chelonae in an immunocompromised patient

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 21; no. 9; pp. 691 - 694
• Main Authors: Enomoto, Yasunori, Oba, Misao, Ishii, Norihisa, Nakanaga, Kazue, Yagi, Yuki, Hasegawa, Hirotsugu, Ozawa, Yuichi, Matsui, Takashi, Yokomura, Koshi, Suda, Takafumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Disseminated cutaneous infection; Fatal Outcome; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Male; Maxillary Sinusitis - microbiology; Mycobacterium chelonae; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous - complications; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous - drug therapy; Rhinitis - microbiology; Rhinosinusitis; Skin Diseases, Bacterial - microbiology; Rhinosinusitis; Mycobacterium chelonae; Disseminated cutaneous infection
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2015.04.014

Abstract Mycobacterium chelonae frequently involves the skin, and the disseminated form can be observed in immunocompromised patients. In contrast, rhinosinusitis caused by the bacterium is a rare manifestation, which occurs independently of immune status. We report here a rare case of M. chelonae infection presenting as both disseminated cutaneous infection and rhinosinusitis in an immunocompromised patient. He had received systemic corticosteroids for 11 months due to cryptogenic organizing pneumonia. Before admission, he sustained injuries to his left arm and hand; those injuries succumbed to an infection that would subsequently spread to his other limbs, face, and even nasal cavities. This valuable case suggests that disseminated cutaneous infection by M. chelonae could spread to other organs.