[Report of two cases of Mycobacterium abscessus infection: clinical and therapeutic challenges]

Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections, particularly those caused by Mycobacterium abscessus, are of increasing clinical importance due to their ability to cause a variety of infectious manifestations. Diagnosis is difficult due to the ambiguity between contamination and infection and the no specificity of symptoms. Treatment is complex, requiring multiple drug regimens with a risk of toxicity. The need for a structured diagnostic and therapeutic approach, including a high level of clinical suspicion and antimicrobial susceptibility testing to guide drug selection, is emphasized. Two clinical cases are described: the first, peritonitis due to M. abscessus identified in cultures of ascitic fluid, peritoneal dialysis fluid, and catheter tip; the second, a skin and soft tissue infection secondary to contaminated ink by the same germ. A review and update of the topic is presented, integrating our clinical experience.