Related Experiment Videos
Cutaneous Mycobacterium szulgai infection.
Archives of Dermatology
|February 1, 1985
Summary
A man on long-term prednisone developed skin and bone infections from Mycobacterium szulgai. Prompt antibiotic treatment with isoniazid, ethambutol, and rifampin led to recovery.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Dermatology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Long-term corticosteroid use, such as prednisone, can predispose individuals to opportunistic infections.
- Mycobacterium szulgai is a rare scotochromogenic mycobacterium typically found in environmental sources.
Observation:
- A 51-year-old male patient on several months of prednisone therapy presented with multiple inflammatory skin lesions.
- The patient also developed osteomyelitis (bone infection) of the right ankle.
Findings:
- Cultures from both the skin lesions and the bone biopsy of the ankle confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium szulgai.
- This case highlights M. szulgai as an unusual but significant human pathogen in immunocompromised individuals.
Implications:
- Early identification and appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial for managing M. szulgai infections.
- Physicians should consider opportunistic mycobacterial infections in immunocompromised patients presenting with unusual skin and bone pathology.
- Treatment with a multi-drug regimen including isoniazid, ethambutol hydrochloride, and rifampin proved effective in this case.