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Cutaneous infection with Mycobacterium obuense
1Department of Dermatology; Department of Pathology, Division of Dermatopathology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
International Journal of Mycobacteriology
|March 9, 2018
Summary
A rare skin infection caused by Mycobacterium obuense was identified in an elderly woman presenting with leg ulcers. This diagnosis was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after initial tests were inconclusive.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Granulomatous inflammation of the skin can be caused by various infectious and non-infectious agents.
- Distinguishing between different causes of granulomatous inflammation often requires advanced diagnostic techniques.
Observation:
- An elderly woman presented with a year-long history of cutaneous nodules and ulceration on her right leg.
- Previous biopsies revealed dermal and subcutaneous granulomatous inflammation.
- Standard microbiological investigations, including special stains and cultures, were negative.
Findings:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of a tissue sample definitively identified Mycobacterium obuense as the causative agent.
- This molecular method proved crucial in diagnosing the infection when conventional methods failed.
Implications:
- Highlights the diagnostic utility of PCR in identifying difficult-to-culture mycobacterial infections.
- Underscores the importance of considering atypical mycobacteria in the differential diagnosis of chronic granulomatous skin lesions.
- Suggests Mycobacterium obuense as a potential cause of chronic cutaneous disease in immunocompetent individuals.
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