Disseminated infection due to Mycobacterium chelonei

We have presented a case of M chelonei subsp abscessus in an immunocompromised patient. The patient was given antimicrobial therapy, to which the organism appeared sensitive for 4 weeks, but he died because of other medical problems. Repeated negative blood cultures for mycobacteria after the initiation of therapy and a careful postmortem examination suggested that the antimicrobial therapy was effective.