Disseminated cutaneous Mycobacterium chelonae infection secondary to an indwelling catheter in an immunocompetent host

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium chelonae is a species of nontuberculous mycobacteria that typically causes localized cutaneous disease in immunocompetent hosts. There have been few reports of disseminated infections in immunocompetent individuals which have often been associated with invasive medical procedures. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we describe a 43-year-old immunocompetent female with an implanted venous access device who presented with skin lesions increasing in size and frequency over the course of five months despite antimicrobial therapy. A diagnosis was not made until mycobacterial culture from a skin biopsy grew M. chelonae. CONCLUSION: Disseminated cutaneous M. chelonae infection can be a rare complication of indwelling venous catheterization among immunocompetent patients.