Late‐Onset Posttraumatic Skin and Soft‐Tissue Infections Caused by Rapid‐Growing Mycobacteria in Tsunami Survivors

Abstract

Repeated cultures of abscess and wound specimens for Mycobacterium species may be needed to find the etiologic agents causing contaminated skin and soft-tissue infections, such as those that developed after traumas that occurred during the tsunami. These cultures are especially necessary when symptoms appear late and when conventional bacterial culture results are negative. A biopsy is recommended for the best yield and for complementary histopathological examination.