Synovial infection with Mycobacterium kansasii

Atypical mycobacteria have been recognised as saprophytic organisms for many years, but it was only with the development of better microbiological culture techniques that they became recognised as potentially pathogenic to man. Infections of tendon sheaths and joints by these organisms may present diagnostic problems, and we report here 3 cases in which Mycobacterium kansasii was responsible for disease at the hand and wrist.