Open AccessMycobacterium fortuitum Infection Presenting as Community-acquired Pneumonia in an Immunocompetent Host
Author(s) -
Eli̇f Küpeli̇,
Eylül Bozkurt,
Özlem Kurt Azap,
Füsun Öner Eyüboğlu
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of bronchology and interventional pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.648
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1944-6586
pISSN - 1948-8270
DOI - 10.1097/lbr.0b013e3181fa5b85
Subject(s) - mycobacterium fortuitum , medicine , pneumonia , immunosuppression , respiratory tract , mycobacterium , microbiology and biotechnology , dermatology , tuberculosis , immunology , pathology , respiratory system , biology
Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing environmental mycobacteria, frequently isolated from water, dust, and soil, which commonly causes infection in the presence of underlying disease or immunosuppression. Skin, soft tissue, and bones are important sites of M. fortuitum, but it may colonize in the respiratory tract as well. We report the case of an otherwise healthy man who presented with signs and symptoms of community-acquired pneumonia. He was diagnosed as having primary infection with M. fortuitum and treated with multidrug antibacterial therapy. Our case confirms that M. fortuitum poses a threat not only to patients with immune defects but also to immunocompetent hosts. Flexible bronchoscopy or a transthoracic needle aspiration may be required to confirm the diagnosis.