Disseminated Mycobacterium mucogenicum Infection in a Patient with Idiopathic CD4+ T Lymphocytopenia Manifesting as Fever of Unknown Origin

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Abstract
Sir—Infection due to nontuberculous mycobacteria is a matter of increasing interest. Many of these organisms are currently recognized as human pathogens. Members of the Mycobacterium fortuitum complex are the only rapidly growing species that are more frequently isolated as human pathogens [1]. M. fortuitum, Mycobacterium peregrinum, Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium abscessus, and Mycobacterium mucogenicum (formerly known as “M. chelonae-like organisms”), among other species, are recognized in this complex [2]. M. mucogenicum has been reported to cause peritonitis, posttraumatic skin infection, and catheter sepsis [1, 3, 4], although M. mucogenicum is rarely clinically isolated [1, 3, 4]. For these reasons, we report a patient with idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia with prolonged fever of unknown origin. The pathogen was identified by culture of bone marrow specimens and molecular biology techniques.