Sweet's syndrome associated with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection: a report of five cases.

We report the rare association of Sweet's syndrome with non-tuberculous mycobacteria in five patients (three women, two men, aged 25-41 years). Clinical and histological evidence supported the diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome in all patients. The skin lesions responded well to systemic corticosteroid but recurred in two cases. All of our patients had chronic disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. They initially presented with lymphadenopathy and developed involvement in other organs later. All of them were treated as having tuberculous lymphadenitis based on pathological findings before definite diagnosis was made by culture. The organisms isolated were Mycobacterium chelonae in three cases, M. scrofulaceum in one case and M. avium intracellulare complex in one case. All the patients gradually improved with treatment but one had multiple recurrences. The search for an infectious agent, especially non-tuberculous mycobacteria, should be performed in cases of Sweet's syndrome that appear in association with chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis which is recalcitrant to antituberculous drugs.