Rapidly-growing mycobacteria (RGM) may cause bloodstream infection in patients with impaired host defenses. These infections usually have a good prognosis if the underlying cause can be corrected.
Species of mycobacteria usually involved:
(1) M. abscessus
(2) M. chelonae
(3) M. fortuitum
(4) M. mucogenicum (which may be associated with outbreaks)
Risk factors for pulmonary infection:
(1) presence of a central venous catheter
(2) solid cancer
(3) hematologic neoplasm
(4) hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)
(5) history of recent chemotherapy
(6) lymphopenia (absolute lymphocyte count < 500 per µL)
The prognosis was generally good in patients treated with appropriate antibiotics and following removal of any central venous catheter.
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