CUTANEOUS MYCOBACTERIUM-CHELONAE INFECTIO N - REPORT OF 3 CASES WITH MULTIPLE LESIONS

Objective. To review the clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognos tic characteristics of cutaneous diseases caused by atypical mycobacte ria and more specifically those by Mycobacterium chelonae. To Improve our knowledge of this disease and its differential diagnosis with othe r cutaneous Infections associated with folliculitis. Design. Retrospec tive descriptive study. Setting. Primary care and Dermatology specialt y in a Health Center in the Madrid metropolitan area. Patients and oth er participants. The clinical records of non immunosuppressed patients , with multiple cutaneous lesions caused by Mycobacterium chelonae and confirmed by culture were reviewed, The evolution time, treatment reg imes before diagnosis and possible epidemiological factors were studie d. Measurements and main outcomes. Culture confirmed three non immunos uppressed patients with multiple lesions in both legs, Lesions had bee n present for longer than two months and had been treated with topical and systemic antibiotics with no improvement, The only relevant epide miological finding was wax depilation. Conclusions. It is important to know the existence of this type of infection, since diagnostic suspic ion allows for an early and efficient therapy which will present the e mergency of important scars.