Type: Mycobacteria
Name: Mycobacterium fortuitum
Importance- to Body:
Cutaneous Infection
Distribution- in Body:
Multiple furuncles
Epidemiology: Rapidly growing Mycobacterium
Food Sources:
None Listed
Environmental/Geographic Sources:
Associated with foot spas; increased risk if patient showing AFB* and has razor-shaved legs before spa treatment.
Diagonosis:
Biopsy of tissue showing AFB and AFB culture positive
Treatment:
Normally resolves without treatment. Can administer single therapy, but dual therapy is preferred with ciprofloxacin. doxycycline. clarithromycin, or minocycline for 6 to 12 months.
Supplemental information:
Source: Cutaneous Manifestations Of Waterborne Infections by: Lucinda Elko, MD, RPh, Keith Rosenbach, MD, PhD*, and John Sinnott, MD
*AFB—acid-fast bacilli.
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