Case report on pulmonary disease due to coinfection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium abscessus: Difficulty in diagnosis

Abstract

Mycobacterium abscessus, which is ubiquitous environmental organism, is more likely to cause pulmonary infection in the presence underlying lung disease and immunosuppression. We report a case of pulmonary disease due to coinfection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) in an immunocompetent patient without underlying lung disease. Healthcare professionals should be aware of co-infection with MTB and M. abscessus, and treatment should be based on clinical suspicion and/or epidemiological circumstances.