Sporotrichoid spread of cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonei infection

Atypical mycobacterial infections of the skin have increased in frequency in immunocompromised individuals in recent years. Such patients may follow a different clinical pattern from immunocompetent patients, often lacking a history of preceding trauma and presenting with multiple suppurating subcutaneous nodules. A sporotrichoid pattern of spread may occur with the species Mycobacterium kansasii and M. marinum but is rare with M. chelonei.