Mycobacterium longobardum Infection in the Hand

Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Flexor Tenosynovitis of the Wrist and Hand

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are uncommon causes of cutaneous and musculoskeletal infections. Here, we present an immunocompromised patient with persistent swelling in the left hand, wrist, and distal forearm. MRI findings revealed flexor tenosynovitis with synovial hypertrophy of the left hand and wrist and loculated fluid containing rice bodies along the distal flexor digitorum muscles in the volar aspect of the left wrist. The patient underwent flexor tenosynovectomy, and histological examination of the excised tenosynovium and mass revealed noncaseating granulomas. Mycobacterium intracellulare was identified in microbiological cultures. Antimycobacterial therapy was administered postoperatively to manage the infection. This report underscores the significance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for NTM infection when assessing chronic hand swelling, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems.

Comparison of bacterial species and clinical outcomes in patients with diabetic hand infection in tropical and nontropical regions

Purpose

Hand infection is a rare complication in patients with diabetes. Its clinical outcomes depend on the severity of hand infection caused by bacteria, but the difference in bacterial species in the regional disparity is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of tropical and nontropical regions on bacterial species and clinical outcomes for diabetic hand.

Patients and Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Moreover, the bacterial species and clinical outcomes were analyzed with respect to multicenter wound care in China (nontropical regions).

Results

Both mixed bacteria (31.2% vs. 16.6%, p=0.014) and fungi (7.5% vs. 0.8%, p=0.017) in the nontropical region were significantly more prevalent than those in the tropical region. Staphylococcus and Streptococcus spp. were dominant in gram-positive bacteria, and Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, Proteus and Pseudomonas in gram-negative bacteria occupied the next majority in the two regions. The rate of surgical treatment in the patients was 31.2% in the nontropical region, which was significantly higher than the 11.4% in the tropical region (p=0.001). Although the overall mortality was not significantly different, there was a tendency to be increased in tropical regions (6.3%) compared with nontropical regions (0.9%). However, amputation (32.9% vs. 31.3%, p=0.762) and disability (6.3% vs. 12.2%, p=0.138) were not significantly differentbetween the two regions.

Conclusion

Similar numbers of cases were reported, and the most common bacteria were similar in tropical and nontropical regions in patients with diabetic hand. There were more species of bacteria in the nontropical region, and their distribution was basically similar, except for fungi, which had differences between the two regions. The present study also showed that surgical treatment and mortality were inversely correlated because delays in debridement and surgery can deteriorate deep infections, eventually leading to amputation and even death.

Mycobacterium bolletii Osteomyelitis of the Metaphyseal Distal Radius Treated With Amikacin Antibiotic Beads

Mycobacterium bollettii, a subset of the group M. abscessus, is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium that was first characterized in the early 2000s. We report a case of M. bollettii infection in an otherwise healthy 49-year-old man who sustained an open fracture of the right distal radius. After his initial surgery, the patient presented 1 month later with wound drainage requiring hardware removal and was treated with intravenous antibiotics. However, there was a persistent infection. We treated his osteomyelitis with debridement and placement of amikacin antibiotic beads. We selected this particularly uncommon antibiotic cement specifically to address the nontuberculous mycobacterium. The purpose of this report is to alert treating providers to the possibility of nontuberculous mycobacterium infections when an inflammatory process persists and to provide guidelines for the use of amikacin solution to produce antibiotic beads.

Horseshoe abscess of the hand with rice bodies secondary to mycobacterium avium intracellulare infection

A horseshoe abscess is caused by infection that spreads between the flexor tendon sheath of the thumb or little finger through the radial and ulnar bursae through communication between the two and/or the space of Parona. We present a case of an 80-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who presented with 6 months of right hand and wrist soft tissue swelling, initially treated as a rheumatoid arthritis flare. MRI demonstrates the horseshoe abscess and after surgical irrigation and debridement with synovectomy, cultures demonstrated infection with mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI). This case demonstrates the importance of MRI in diagnosing and evaluating the extent of hand infections and for considering mycobacterial organisms for appropriate treatment and antibiotic regimen.