Ventral hernia synthetic mesh repair infected by Mycobacterium fortuitum

We report the occurrence of a refractory infection caused by the "rapidly g rowing" nontuberculous mycobacterium, Mycobacterium fortuitum, after incisi onal hernia repair using synthetic mesh. The patient had previously undergo ne three herniorrhaphies incorporating polypropylene mesh. Multiple surgica l debridements were required, along with complete removal of all the mesh, to eradicate the infection. Prolonged antimicrobial therapy with sulfametho xazole, an agent active against the patient's isolate, was also used. Altho ugh this atypical mycobacterium has been reported to cause a variety of inf ections, including many types of periprosthetic infections, this case repre sents successful treatment of M. fortuitum infecting abdominal wall mesh.