Mycobacterium fortuitum infection of ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Mycobacterium fortuitum is one of the rapidly growing mycobacteria found in soil, dust, and water. It can be isolated as a normal colonizing organism, but as a pathogen this organism causes mainly skin and soft tissue infecti on preceded by trauma, A wide variety of infections can occur in individual s with predisposing conditions, Central nervous system infection with M for tuitum is rare, and meningitis occurs after surgery or trauma. We believe t hat ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infection with this organism has not be en reported in the literature, Practitioners should be aware of this rare e ntity and should suspect it in the presence of cerebrospinal fluid pleocyto sis with sterile culture, and after trauma, surgery, or manipulation of the VP shunt hardware, Mycobacterium fortuitum is resistant to most first-line and second-line antituberculous drugs, and treatment should include surgic al debridement in addition to prolonged antimicrobial therapy.