Mycobacterium gordonae infection of the hand.
A 70-year-old woman was seen for two chronic nodules on the dorsum of her left hand. They had a uniquely mamillated surface, but histopathologically showed nonspecific granulomatous changes with no organisms seen. Laboratory studies disclosed the lesions were due to Mycobacterium gordonae, an organism commonly ignored as a pathogen. The histopathologic changes were reproduced by intradermal testing with tuberculin. The lesions, unaffected by ketoconazole, as well as by a variety of antibiotics, including minocycline hydrochloride, slowly involuted during a one-year period. To our knowledge, this patient is the first documented case of cutaneous infection from this organism. Mycobacterium gordonae must be added to the list of true mycobacterial pathogens.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity