Severe Pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessu s Cases Due to Co-Infection with Other Microorganisms Well Treated by Clarithromycin and Sitafloxacin in Japan

Background Mycobacterium abscessus frequently causes severe infections, yet its pathophysiological features and treatment regimens have not been established. Case report We present five cases of severe pneumonia due to Mycobacterium abscessus infection in Japan. All cases were diabetic patients, with possible acceleration to pneumonia due to co-infection with other microorganisms. However, following a short period of hospitalization and combination therapy with intravenous imipenem/cilastatin and amikacin, all the cases were successfully treated as outpatients with oral clarithromycin and sitafloxacin. Conclusion M. abscessus infections can become severe in the presence of diabetes mellitus and co-infection with other chronic infectious organisms. Sitafloxacin might be a key drug in the treatment of M. abscessus infection in future.