Mycobacterium gordonae infection in immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts: A series of seven cases and literature review

Abstract

Background/purpose: Mycobacterium gordonae is a ubiquitous environmental mycobacteria and has been long considered an opportunistic pathogen, causing infections only in immunocompromised hosts. Cases of M. gordonae related infections in immunocompetent host have rarely been reported, and the pathogenicity of M. gordonae remained uncertain.

Methods: From January 2016 to December 2018, seven cases of M. gordonae infection were diagnosed and treated at National Taiwan University Hospital.

Results: Six cases had at least one underlying disease affecting immune status, while one case had no identifiable underlying disease. The sites of infection were lung (n = 3), skin and soft tissue (n = 3), and one had disseminated disease involving the lung and bone marrow. All patients were cured after anti-mycobacterial treatment, except one patient died of refractory leukemia.

Conclusion: Compatible with the literature reports, we demonstrate that M. gordonae could be pathogenic and causing infection not only in the immunocompromised host, but also in the otherwise healthy population. Multi-antimicrobial combination and adequate source control could have good therapeutic effect for patients with M. gordonae infections.

Keywords: Immunocompromised host; Mycobacterium gordonae; Non-tuberculous mycobacteria; Prognosis; Therapeutics.