Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus Infection Caused by a Bird Bite

Abstract

Exotic pet ownership is common in the United States, as is immunocompromise both from medical therapy and common chronic diseases. We present the case of a 68-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease and a nonhealing papule after a cockatoo bite to the hand. Mycobacterium chelonae/abscessus was isolated from the lesion. The patient was treated with surgical excision and 1 year of oral clarithromycin, which relieved her symptoms. Human infections with M. chelonae/abscessus are relatively uncommon but have been increasingly reported in immunocompromised patients. This case reminds practitioners to keep a high index of suspicion in all patients with skin lesions that do not respond to typical therapy, even those patients traditionally considered immunocompetent.