First case report of chronic pulmonary lung disease caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in two immunocompetent patients in Saudi Arabia

Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacterium that is a common water contaminant, and an exclusive opportunistic pathogen in immunosuppressed patients; however, it occasionally causes lung infections in immunocompetent persons as well. We report two cases of chronic pulmonary infection caused by M abscessus in two young migrant workers; they were nonreactive to HIV antigen, without any history of pulmonary disorders and no evidence of any immunocompromized status. Both were initially suspected as having pulmonary tuberculosis, and antituberculosis drugs were administered. The preliminary culture found the isolate as a rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria and later by advanced molecular genotyping of the isolates revealed it as M abscessus. The patients were treated with multiple drugs including clarithromycin. The symptoms resolved slowly, the smears and culture became negative, and they recovered completely. This is the first case of its type to be reported from Saudi Arabia.