Acid-fast bacilli staining typically produces negative results.
Treatment of NTM skin infections is based entirely on susceptibility test results. There are no clearcut treatment guidelines. Many infections will be resistant to the more common antimicrobials, and it's quite common for resistance to emerge during the required lengthy course of treatment. How lengthy? The typical treatment duration required for a localized infection is about 4 months, climbing to 6 months for more severe or disseminated infection.
Oral clarithromycin at 500 mg twice daily is a good option to start with while awaiting the susceptibility test results, as it covers some of the more common NTM. Combination therapy is often employed to prevent or treat resistance. Surgical removal of isolated foci of infection is often helpful, according to Dr. Drage.
She reported having no relevant financial conflicts.
An outbreak of M. chelonae originated from tap water used to dilute black ink.
Source ©Davide Cardello/Fotolia.com