MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM-INTRACELLULARE SUBCUT ANEOUS ABSCESS FOLLOWING ALPHA-INTERFERON INJECTIONS IN A PATIENT WITH LYMPHOMA

Introduction. Cutaneous involvement with Mycobacterium avium-intracell ulare is usually observed in disseminated disease bur cutaneous infect ion alone without bacteraemia is uncommon. Case Report: We report a ca se of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare subcutaneous abscess of the t high in a 32-year-old woman with lymphoma. The lesion was treated with drainage, excision and chemotherapeutic agents. Inoculation was proba bly secondary to alpha interferon injections performed during one year . Discussion. The review of the literature shows that isolated Mycobac terium avium-intracellulare skin infections are rare, probably induced by traumatic percutaneous inoculation, frequently in immunocompromise d patients. The pro-infectious effect of interferon alpha is considere d. Treatment is unsatisfactory and surgical excision is often necessar y.