Post-laparoscopic wound infection caused by scotochromogenic nontuberculous Mycobacterium

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are known to produce soft-tissue infections following surgical procedures. We report a non-healing surgical wound infection caused by a scotochromogenic nontuberculous mycobacterium, possibly Mycobacterium flavescens, which was earlier thought to be saprophytic. This organism was isolated from the wound discharge at the site of incision following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy; the finding suggests that M. flavescens is a clinically important pathogen in cases of surgical wound infections.