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Iatrogenic Mycobacterium abscessus infection associated with acupuncture: clinical manifestations and its treatment
Author(s) -
Ryu Hwa Jung,
Kim Woo Joo,
Oh Chil Hwan,
Song Hae Jun
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2005.02241.x
Subject(s) - medicine , clarithromycin , acupuncture , mycobacterium abscessus , antibiotics , amikacin , surgery , dermatology , mycobacterium , pathology , tuberculosis , microbiology and biotechnology , alternative medicine , biology , helicobacter pylori
Background Mycobacterial infections transmitted by acupuncture are an emerging problem. There have been two reports of mycobacterial infections complicating acupuncture in the English literature. Aim To describe the clinical manifestations and treatment of patients who acquired localized Mycobacterium abscessus infection in the process of acupuncture. Methods Clinical manifestations and responses to different methods of treatment were reviewed in 40 patients who developed various skin lesions after acupuncture at a Korean oriental medicine clinic. Results The morphology of the lesions which developed at the acupuncture sites varied. Although the lesions disappeared with the combined administration of clarithromycin and amikacin for 3 months in most cases, five out of 25 patients (20%) showed residual lesions at the end of treatment, and had to be treated with a higher dosage of clarithromycin or alternative antibiotics based on sensitivity tests. Conclusions We recommend at least 3 months of treatment with clarithromycin for treating skin infections caused by M. abscessus , with supplementary antibiotics selected based on patients’ drug sensitivity tests.