Disseminated infection with mycobacterium chelonei in a haemodialysis patient.

M. chelonei ssp. chelonei was isolated over a period of 5 months from abscesses on various sites of hands and feet of a patient on maintenance dialysis. The organism was resistant in vitro to a greater number of antimicrobials and treatment in turn with gentamicin, vancomycin, erythromycin, doxycycline and co-trimoxazole had to be supplemented by surgical drainage of abscesses. Examination of the dialysis circuit revealed repeatedly the presence of M. chelonei and M. fortuitum in the water softener resin and other sites. The significance of this finding is discussed.