Mycobacterium smegmatis bacteremia in an immunocompetent host

Abstract

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria can cause catheter associated blood stream infections. The causative agents are generally rapid growers that belong to the Mycobacterium fortuitum and Mycobacterium mucogenicum groups. A 65 year hospitalized patient with temporary central venous catheter who developed Mycobacterium smegmatis bacteremia. Bacteremia cleared after removal of the catheter. Patient was treated initially with 4 weeks of intravenous amikacin, intravenous meropenem, oral doxycycline and oral ethambutol and then deescalated to oral doxycycline and oral ciprofloxacin for 8 weeks. He improved clinically and remained stable. A literature search identified total of 22 articles that reported 47 unique cases of Mycobacterium smegmatis infection. To our knowledge, this is the first case of Mycobacterium smegmatis central venous catheter associated bacteremia in an immunocompetent host.