An Unusual Case of Renal Infection with Mycobacterium senegalense

Abstract

Mycobacterium senegalense is a Non Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) belonging to rapid growers Mycobacterium fortuitum group. Authors describe a unique case of Mycobacterium senegalense infection in a 62-year-old diabetic male with bilateral pyelonephritis and acute kidney injury, as patient had complaints of haematuria on and off for a week. Mycobacterium senegalense is difficult to diagnose as the symptoms are expansive and routine diagnostic tests have lesser sensitivity. It remains resistant to the commonly used antibiotics. The patient was under multiple antibiotic regimens for a long period of time and the isolate grown from the urine sample was identified by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation- Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) as Mycobacterium senegalense. Later, the patient was started on antitubercular therapy and finally responded.

Keywords

• acute kidney injury
• non tuberculous mycobacteria
• rapid growers