Infection with Mycobacterium malmoense in Sweden: Report of 221 Cases

Abstract

Mycobacterium malmoense was first described in 1977 and today is second only to the Mycobacterium avium complex as a cause of atypical mycobacterial infection in Sweden. We retrospectively studied the records of 221 patients from whom M. malmoense was isolated during 1968-1989. M. malmoense was recovered from the respiratory tract of 171 patients (170 adults and one child) and from cervical lymph nodes of 36 patients (35 children and one adult). In addition, the organism was isolated from the urine of six patients, one of whom had disseminated disease and two of whom had abscesses caused by M. malmoense. A majority of the patients with pulmonary infection as well as the patient with disseminated disease had other underlying diseases.

Isolation of <i> Mycobacterium malmoense</i> in the island of Crete, Greece

“…[4] It is a non-pigmented, slow growing mycobacterium that grows best at 30°C and at a low pH (between 5.0 and 6.0). It has been isolated from the environment only on very rare occasions.…”

“…Only few cases caused by varied species have been reported. [1,[4][5][6][7][8][9] To the best of our knowledge, this is the Þ rst report of renal zygomycosis (mucormycosis) caused by Apophysomyces elegans from the south of the country, in a patient who was otherwise healthy.…”

Granulomatous cervicofacial lymphadenitis in children: a nine-year study in Singapore

“…(7)(8)(9) While one series showed a predominance of either Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) or Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, Mycobacterium malmoense has been reported by others as the second most common pathogen after MAC in northern Europe and the United Kingdom. (7,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) Distinguishing between the NTM and tuberculous forms of lymphadenitis is important because both conditions can appear identical histologically. Currently, NTM lymphadenitis in immunocompetent children is best treated with complete excision, whereas antituberculous drugs are required in tuberculous lymphadenitis.…”

Cervical abscess in an immunocompetent patient with Mycobacterium malmoense pulmonary disease

“…Most patients are male adults, with a mean age of 60 years, with underlying lung disease, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and present clinical symptoms and signs similar to those of pulmonary tuberculosis. The second group is formed by immunocompetent children, mostly younger than 5 years of age, with localized cervical lymphadenitis [1,6,8,[11][12][13]. Albeit rarely, other types of localized disease have been described, including skin, soft tissue infections and osteoarticular infections [14].…”