Meningoencephalitis associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are fastidious, difficult organisms to identify, but are increasingly associated with human disease. We report a case of meningoencephalitis associated with Mycobacterium malmoense and Mycobacterium interjectum co-isolation from cerebrospinal fluid. Recognition of these slow growing mycobacteria is important due to differences from standard mycobacterial treatments. We illustrate the rare occurrence of M malmoense as a central nervous system isolate, appearing almost unique among non-tuberculous mycobacteria.