title: Outbreak of persistent cutaneous abscesses due to Mycobacterium chelonae after mesotherapy sessions, Lima, Peru.
abstract: Outbreaks of rapidly growing mycobacteria have been occasionally described. The article reports an outbreak of cutaneous abscesses due to Mycobacterium chelonae following mesotherapy in Lima, Peru. From December 2004 through January 2005, 35 subjects who had participated in mesotherapy training sessions presented with persistent cutaneous abscesses. Thirteen (37%) of these suspected cases consented to undergo clinical examination. Skin punch-biopsies were collected from suspicious lesions and substances injected during mesotherapy were analyzed. Suspected cases were mainly young women and lesions included subcutaneous nodules, abscesses and ulcers. Mycobacterium chelonae was isolated from four patients and from a procaine vial. In conclusion, it is important to consider mesotherapy as a potential source of rapidly growing mycobacteria infections.
authors.affiliation: Dirección General de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud, Lima, Perú cmunayco@dge.gob.pe
authors.forename: César V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Munayco
authors.forename: Carlos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Grijalva
authors.forename: Dante R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Culqui
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bolarte
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Suárez-Ognio
authors.forename: Neyda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quispe
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ascencios
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Solar
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salomón
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotuzzo
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016926:Mycobacterium chelonae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology