Vertebral Osteomyelitis caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Author: Dongmo JE ¹ ; Cheol In KANG ; Ji Young JOUNG ; Hyemin JEONG ; Yoon Young CHO ; Kyungmin HUH ; Kyong Ran PECK
Author Information

1. Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. collacin@hotmail.com
Publication Type:In Vitro ; Case Report
Keywords: Nontuberculous Mycobacteria; Mycobacterium abscessus; Vertebral Osteomyelitis; Immunocompetent Host
MeSH: Bone and Bones; Humans; Mycobacterium; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria; Osteomyelitis
From:Infection and Chemotherapy 2012;44(6):530-534
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: Vertebral osteomyelitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is rarely reported, especially in an immunocompetent host. NTM are usually not susceptible in vitro to antituberculous drugs, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy for treatment of NTM infection is based on susceptibility results, which vary between different NTM species; therefore, treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by NTM is challenging. We report on the first case of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by M. abscessus in an otherwise healthy individual, confirmed by cultures of bone tissue obtained during surgery. Clinical cure was achieved with a combination of antimicrobial therapy and surgery. We also review previous reports of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by NTM.