Cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection in a presumably immunocompetent host

Mycobacterium chelonae, M. fortuitum and M. abscessus, species belonging to the so-called M. fortuitum complex, are rapid growers and have been known to be pathogenic for humans for many years (1, 2). M. chelonae is a saprophyte which is ubiquitous in the environment, found in both soil and water. Laboratory identication is based on growth at temperatures ranging between 28°C and 32°C in less than 7 days; typical Gram stain and colony morphology, acid fastness, the absence of pigmentation and positive arylsulphatase results at 3 days (3, 4).
We describe here a 60-year-old HIV-negative, presum- ably immunocompetent, woman with primary local skin lesions caused by M. chelonae.