Mycobacterium abscessus skin and soft tissue infection following autologous fat grafting in Kurdistan treated with an antibiotic combination including Imipenem-Relebactam and Rifabutin

Abstract

Medical tourism is becoming increasingly popular. The most popularly sought operations are cosmetic procedures. With the increase in cosmetic tourism, it is unsurprising that there has also been a rise in skin and soft tissue infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM); in particular by the rapidly growing mycobacteria species.Here we provide a case of a 35 year-old woman who presented after autologous fat grafting with multiple painful, violaceous, and purulent nodules on her arms, legs, and breasts. Infection was found to be due to Mycobacterium abscessus. She was successfully treated with azithromycin, clofazimine, rifabutin, amikacin, imipenem-cilastatin-relebactam (Recarbrio™) and imipenem-cilastatin. This is the first described case of a M. abscessus infection successfully treated using this combination.

Keywords

• Mycobacterium abscessus
• Rapid growing mycobacterium
• Cosmetic tourism
• Imipenem-relebactam
• Rifabutin
• Multi-drug resistance