TSUKAMURELLA INFECTIONS - CASE-REPORT AND LITERATURE-REVIEW

SUMM. The genus Tsukamurella belongs to the family Nocardiaceae, and i s an environmental saprophyte. The type species is Tsukamurella paurom etabola. Its microbiological identification and differentiation from t he other species containing mycolic acids can be difficult. There has been a few cases of human infections reported, usually in patients wit h special conditions, such as chronic lung pathology, immunosuppressio n (leukemia, solid tumors, maybe HIV-infection) or the long-term use o f indwelling catheters. The treatment of choice, despite the lack of a dequate guidelines, is an antibiotherapy combining a beta-lactam and a n aminoglycoside; catheter removal appears to be essential for cure.