Probable disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies bolletii infection in a patient with idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia: a case report.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Rapidly growing mycobacteria are opportunistic pathogens in patients with underlying riskfactors. Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii is a newly recognized member of rapidlygrowing mycobacteria, isolated from respiratory tract and cutaneous infections. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of chronic disseminated infection caused by M. abscessus subsp. bolletiiin a 38-year-old Sri Lankan man with idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia. Idiopathic CD4+T lymphocytopenia is a rare cause of immunodysfunction that, similar to humanimmunodeficiency virus infection. M. abscessus subsp. bolletii infection was diagnosed byculture isolation from two sputum samples. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of M. abscessus subsp. bolletiidisseminated infection in a patient affected by idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia. Incontrast to previous reports, the isolate of M. abscessus subsp. bolletii presented intermediateresistance to clarithromycin and was susceptible to cefoxitin and imipenem.