Case of disseminated cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection mimicking cutaneous vasculitis. 2014

Asako Ichihara, and Masatoshi Jinnin, and Satoshi Fukushima, and Yuji Inoue, and Hironobu Ihn
Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.

Mycobacterium chelonae is a non-tuberculous, rapidly growing mycobacteria and is widely distributed in the natural environment. In the immunocompetent status, localized cutaneous infections such as cellulitis and subcutaneous abscesses commonly occur after traumatic injury. However, disseminated cutaneous infections occur on a background of immunosuppression. Cutaneous M. chelonae infection presents with a variety of skin eruptions. We report a case of disseminated M. chelonae infection mimicking cutaneous vasculitis. The patient was treated with long-term oral corticosteroids and injected etanercept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Because the skin eruptions were preceded by asthma and rheumatoid arthritis and the pathological findings showed fibrinoid necrosis around the vascular of dermis, cutaneous vasculitis was first suspected. The culture from the pus revealed the bacterium which grew within 5 days on Ogawa's culture medium suggesting a rapidly growing mycobacteria. This bacterium was identified as M. chelonae by the DNA-DNA hybridization method. We chose 800 mg/day clarithromycin and 500 mg/day levofloxacin as a result of the drug-sensitivity test. After 6 months of the treatment, infection symptoms disappeared. Rapidly growing mycobacteria should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infections in patients under immunosuppression caused by diseases or drugs such as corticosteroids and biologic agents. Repeated bacterial examinations are important and required for the diagnosis of rapidly growing mycobacteria.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009165 Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous Infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (atypical mycobacteria): M. kansasii, M. marinum, M. scrofulaceum, M. flavescens, M. gordonae, M. obuense, M. gilvum, M. duvali, M. szulgai, M. intracellulare (see MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX;), M. xenopi (littorale), M. ulcerans, M. buruli, M. terrae, M. fortuitum (minetti, giae), M. chelonae, M. leprae. Mycobacterium Infections, Atypical,Atypical Mycobacterial Infection, Disseminated,Atypical Mycobacterial Infection, Familial Disseminated,Atypical Mycobacteriosis, Familial,Atypical Mycobacteriosis, Familial Disseminated,Atypical Mycobacterium Infections,Infections, Atypical Mycobacterium,Mycobacterium abscessus Infection,Atypical Mycobacterium Infection,Familial Atypical Mycobacterioses,Familial Atypical Mycobacteriosis,Infection, Mycobacterium abscessus,Infections, Mycobacterium abscessus,Mycobacterioses, Familial Atypical,Mycobacteriosis, Familial Atypical,Mycobacterium Infection, Atypical,Mycobacterium Infection, Nontuberculous,Mycobacterium abscessus Infections,Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Infection,Nontuberculous Mycobacterium Infections
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000900 Anti-Bacterial Agents Substances that inhibit the growth or reproduction of BACTERIA. Anti-Bacterial Agent,Anti-Bacterial Compound,Anti-Mycobacterial Agent,Antibacterial Agent,Antibiotics,Antimycobacterial Agent,Bacteriocidal Agent,Bacteriocide,Anti-Bacterial Compounds,Anti-Mycobacterial Agents,Antibacterial Agents,Antibiotic,Antimycobacterial Agents,Bacteriocidal Agents,Bacteriocides,Agent, Anti-Bacterial,Agent, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agent, Antibacterial,Agent, Antimycobacterial,Agent, Bacteriocidal,Agents, Anti-Bacterial,Agents, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agents, Antibacterial,Agents, Antimycobacterial,Agents, Bacteriocidal,Anti Bacterial Agent,Anti Bacterial Agents,Anti Bacterial Compound,Anti Bacterial Compounds,Anti Mycobacterial Agent,Anti Mycobacterial Agents,Compound, Anti-Bacterial,Compounds, Anti-Bacterial
D014657 Vasculitis Inflammation of any one of the blood vessels, including the ARTERIES; VEINS; and rest of the vasculature system in the body. Angiitis,Angiitides,Vasculitides
D016867 Immunocompromised Host A human or animal whose immunologic mechanism is deficient because of an immunodeficiency disorder or other disease or as the result of the administration of immunosuppressive drugs or radiation. Immunosuppressed Host,Immunocompromised Patient,Host, Immunocompromised,Host, Immunosuppressed,Hosts, Immunocompromised,Hosts, Immunosuppressed,Immunocompromised Hosts,Immunocompromised Patients,Immunosuppressed Hosts,Patient, Immunocompromised,Patients, Immunocompromised
D016926 Mycobacterium chelonae A species of gram-positive, aerobic bacteria commonly found in soil and occasionally isolated from sputum. It causes postoperative wound infections as well as gluteal abscesses. Mycobacterium chelonei,Mycobacterium chelonae chelonae,Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. chelonae,Mycobacterium chelonei subsp. chelonei
D017192 Skin Diseases, Bacterial Skin diseases caused by bacteria. Bacterial Skin Diseases,Bacterial Skin Disease,Disease, Bacterial Skin,Skin Disease, Bacterial

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