Mycobacterium fortuitum Peritonitis in a Patient on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD): A Case Report

Abstract

Mycobacterium fortuitum, an environmental organism, is capable of producing a variety of clinical infections such as cutaneous infections, abscesses and nosocomial infections. Rarely, it has been a documented as a cause of peritonitis in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is one of the treatment options which are used for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although peritonitis rates have declined in parallel with advances in peritoneal dialysis (PD) technology, peritonitis remains a leading complication of CAPD and it is the major cause for transfer to other methods of dialysis. We are reporting a case of M. fortuitum peritonitis in a patient who was undergoing CAPD, which was successfully treated. This case emphasizes the importance of mycobacterial cultures in patients with CAPD-associated peritonitis, whose routine cultures may yield no organisms.

Keywords

• acid fast bacilli
• dialysate culture
• end-stage renal disease
• mycobacterium fortuitum
• peritonitis