Catheter-related bacteremia caused by Mycobacterium abscessus: a case report and literature review

Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing bacterium commonly present in soil and water contaminants, whose infection in humans is difficult to treat because of its resistance to drugs. Therefore, the aim of this work was to examine the clinical characteristics of catheter-related bacteremia caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in order to improve the rate of successful diagnosis and the understanding of the disease. Previous reports have shown that lung, skin and soft tissue invasion by M. abscessus are common, but bacteremia caused by this bacterium is rarely observed. In this study, one case of bacterial isolation and identification of catheter-related bacteremia caused by fast-growing M. abscessus was reported. M. abscessus was identified in the blood culture of the patient using an automatic microbial mass spectrometer. The patient was treated with moxifloxacin + etimicin combined with linezolid + clarithromycin + rifpentine, and the infection was effectively under control. Although microbiological examination is the primary diagnostic measure for this type of disease, the rate of positive detection is low. Mass spectrometry is a useful technique for early accurate diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteria and has greatly improved the level of clinical microbial identification.