[Pleuropulmonary infection caused by Mycobacterium smegmatis. Case description and literature review]

The case is described of a patient with a tracheostomy subsequent to laryngectomy for carcinoma, who developed a pleuro-pulmonary infection due to Mycobacterium smegmatis complicating lipoid pneumonia after prolonged instillation of gomenol oil into the tracheostoma. The adjuvant property of lipids for the development of respiratory infections due to M. smegmatis and other rapid-growing mycobacteria is discussed in the light of the cases described in the literature.