title: Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection after mesotherapy: preliminary report of 15 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesotherapy is an increasingly used technique which is currently causing several mycobacterial infections owing to contaminated substances being injected, and also to poor aseptic measures being held by nonprofessional practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected 15 cases of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection after mesotherapy in a 6-month period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were female with ages ranging from 19 to 52 years; the main substances injected were procaine and lecithin, and the time between mesotherapy and the appearance of the lesions varied between 1 and 12 weeks. Clinical lesions were mostly nodules and abscesses, which were localized in the abdomen and buttocks in the majority of cases. The main patient complaint was local pain but some presented with systemic symptoms such as fever and malaise. Biopsies reported granulomatous chronic inflammation in the majority of cases. Skin cultures were positive for NTM and Mycobacterium chelonae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mesotherapy not performed with quality controlled substances can be a predisposing factor for NTM infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dermatology Section, School of Medicine, San Vicente de Paul Hospital, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sañudo
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vallejo
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sierra
authors.forename: Juan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hoyos
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yepes
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montealegre
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bedoya
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanclemente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003105:Colombia; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016926:Mycobacterium chelonae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology