title: Cutaneous Mycobacterium massiliense infection associated with cupping therapy.
abstract: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms that are now seen as emerging human pathogens. NTM infections are very difficult to diagnose and treat, therefore a high index of clinical suspicion is needed for diagnosis. Cutaneous NTM infections have been primarily reported associated with previous invasive procedures. We report the case of a healthy 59-year-old woman who developed recurring abdominal skin lesions caused by Mycobacterium massiliense after she underwent noninvasive cupping therapy. We identified the pathogen using a PCR assay targeting the erm(41) gene of the bacterium. The patient was treated successfully by en bloc excision and long-term antibiotic treatment. This case shows that cutaneous infection with M. massiliense may occur in an immunocompetent person without an antecedent invasive procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000382:microbiology*; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*