A case report of Mycobacterium fortuitum infection after muscle injection
Hao Li, Tao Zhang- General Medicine
Rationale:
Injection-related abscesses are a common complication in clinical practice, but the identification of infected bacteria might be difficult.
Patient concerns:
A 51-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital due to a lump on her right buttock that emerged after receiving intramuscular injections to treat left shoulder joint pain. The lump gradually enlarged into a 3.0 to 4.5 cm mass at the time of admission with symptoms such as skin redness, itching, and pain.
Diagnoses:
The patient received ultrasonic and other laboratory examinations. Laboratory results from the drainage indicated that the infection was caused by a rapidly growing mycobacteria and was confirmed as
Interventions:
The patient was treated with antibiotics for 12 days after incision and drainage of the abscess in the right buttock. Local dressings were changed regularly. A migration lesion that appeared 3 days after treatment was drained and cleaned when it matured.
Outcomes:
The lesion substantially decreased in size and the patient was discharged after 2 months of treatment.
Lessons:
Rapidly growing mycobacteria are rare but important pathogens that should be considered in patients with injection-related abscesses. Early identification and appropriate treatment can result in a favorable prognosis.