[Cutaneous mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium chelonei var. abscessus]

We are commenting on a case of cutaneous mycobacteriosis (M. chelonei) in an asthmatic 60-year-old patient under continuous steroid treatment, who months after an accidental trauma on his hand, developed painful papular lesions, located over the trauma scar, and on the dorsal lateral side of the forearm. The lesions on the forearm were accompanied by epitrochlear adenopathies and a general reaction in the form of fever. Histologically the lesions showed a subacute inflammatory reaction with lymphocytes, histiocytes, polynuclear neutrophils and areas of necrosis. The staining of the exudate with Ziehl-Neelsen and the histological samples were negative, but the culture was identified as M. chelonei, of the abscessus variety. The process was cured with continuous therapy with cefotaxime and procodazol.