Mycobacterium chelonae infections involving the head and neck.

OBJECTIVES: We describe the manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of rare head and neck infections caused by Mycobacterium chelonae, including a case of maxillary osteitis and skull base osteomyelitis.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature search (MEDLINE from 1951; BIOSIS from 1969; EMBASE from 1980) was performed for the presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and outcomes of patients with M chelonae infections.

RESULTS: We report 4 cases of M chelonae infection, including a nasal abscess following septorhinoplasty with a cartilaginous graft, a case of chronic unilateral nasal obstruction, and the first reported cases of skull base osteomyelitis and maxillary osteitis secondary to M chelonae. All 4 cases involved immunocompetent individuals.

CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacterium chelonae should be considered in cases of abscesses that persist despite broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics, and in cases of maxillary sinusitis with bony involvement that do not respond to traditional treatment methods.