Disseminated cutaneous infection with Mycobacterium chelonae mimicking panniculitis in a patient with dermatomyositis

YY Leung, KW Choi, KM Ho, EWL Kun
Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Tai Po Hospital, 9 Chuen On Road, Hong Kong


We report a case of disseminated cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection. A patient with dermatomyositis associated with malignancy presented with features of panniculitis. This was later confirmed to be cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection. Disseminated cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection and panniculitis are reviewed.

Hong Kong Med J 2005;11:515-9

Key words: Dermatomyositis; Mycobacterium chelonae; Mycobacterium infections, atypical; Panniculitis; Skin diseases, bacterial