SURGICAL-MANAGEMENT OF CUTANEOUS INFECTION CAUSED BY ATYPICAL MYCOBACTERIA AFTER PENETRATING INJURY - THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF HORTICULTURE

We identified two patients in a 12-month period who presented with cut aneous infection and secondary Lymph node involvement from atypical my cobacterial infection after minor gardening injuries. One patient had a coinfection with Nocardia asteroides. Both patients required multipl e surgical interventions, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, befo re resolution of the disease, The course of the infection was characte rized by chronic relapses with complete healing at 12 to 18 months aft er the original injury. The identification and management of this clin ical problem are reviewed.