Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by Mycobacterium szulgai

We describe 2 cases of infection due to Mycobacterium szulgai revealed by a carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) that was the only clinical manifestation. Bot h patients regularly cleaned their fish tank with bare hands. The diagnosis was made by isolation of M. szulgai from synovium. The cause of the CTS wa s a synovitis. Previous synovectomies were ineffective. Improvement was obs erved with antibiotic treatment. The only way to diagnose this unusual infe ction is to perform histology of synovium and to isolate the mycobacteria f rom synovium culture.