Mycobacterium chelonae conjunctivitis and scleritis following vitrectomy

The atypical, or nontuberculous, mycobacteria are opportunistic pathogens t hat usually cause infection following accidental trauma or surgery. These o rganisms are ubiquitous in nature but have been found with increasing frequ ency in other environments that include medical offices and surgical suites . Management of atypical mycobacterial ocular infections can be difficult b ecause in vitro antibiotic activity does not always correlate with in vivo efficacy and because normal immune defenses against mycobacteria may work t oo slowly to prevent irreversible damage to infected ocular tissues. This r eport describes a patient who developed a severe ocular infection due to My cobacterium chelonae after vitrectomy. Despite eradication of the infection , the eye became blind and painful.