Mycobacterium abscessus wound infection.
We report an isolated case of wound infection due to Mycobacterium abscessus following minor cutaneous surgery. The patient had routine skin cancer surgery in a private dermatology practice setting. He presented 2 weeks later with a wound infection which failed to respond to cephalexin. The patient reported that he had walked through salt water and bushes with exposed surgical wounds 1 week postoperatively. Tissue cultures later grew M. abscessus. The patient was successfully treated with oral clarithromycin 500 mg qid of 6 months duration.
South-East Dermatology, Belmont Specialist Centre, 1202 Creek Road, Carindale, QLD 4152, Australia. sebderm@powerup.com.au
S M
SM
Ozluer
B J
BJ
De'Ambrosis
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005528:Foot; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017291:Clarithromycin