What the study found
A 14-year-old girl had two adjacent atrophic plaques on her right posterior arm, and testing later showed a co-occurring ruptured epidermal inclusion cyst and Mycobacterium abscessus infection.
What the authors say this matters
The authors say the case highlights an unusual clinical presentation of a cutaneous infection due to nontuberculous mycobacteria, which are non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections, and suggests clinicians should be aware of their varied presentations. The study also notes that antibiotic resistance among nontuberculous mycobacterial strains makes culture sensitivities important for adjusting treatment.
What the researchers tested
This was a case report of a single 14-year-old female who presented to dermatology clinic with a three-month history of a lesion on the right posterior arm and sudden burning pain at onset. Examination, histopathology, excisional biopsy, bacterial and fungal cultures, and acid-fast bacillus (AFB) culture were used to evaluate the lesion.
What worked and what didn't
Histopathology showed dermal scar with suppurative granulomatous inflammation, which raised concern for atypical cutaneous infection. Excisional biopsy showed a ruptured epidermal inclusion cyst, bacterial and fungal cultures were negative, and AFB culture was positive for Mycobacterium abscessus.
What to keep in mind
This report describes a single case, so it is limited to one patient. The abstract does not provide treatment details or longer-term follow-up beyond the diagnostic findings.
Key points
- The case involved a 14-year-old girl with two adjacent atrophic plaques on the right posterior arm.
- Excisional biopsy showed a ruptured epidermal inclusion cyst.
- AFB culture was positive for Mycobacterium abscessus, while bacterial and fungal cultures were negative.
- The authors describe the presentation as an unusual example of co-occurring epidermal inclusion cyst and atypical mycobacterial infection.
- The abstract notes that culture sensitivities are important because of antibiotic resistance among nontuberculous mycobacterial strains.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Atrophic arm plaques were linked to Mycobacterium abscessus infection
- Authors:
- Hannah Riva, Mary Cavanagh, Ayezel Munoz Gonzalez
- Institutions:
- Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-10
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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