Cutaneous Tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections at a National Specialized Hospital in China

To identify the microorganism distribution, clinical characteristics, and management of cutaneous Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial infectious diseases in the past 10 years, we collected and analyzed the patient records of all cutaneous M. tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial infection cases diagnosed by culture and/or PCR from 2008 to 2017 in the Hospital of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Among 203 cases, including 89 M. tuberculosis infections and 114 nontuberculous mycobacterial infections, M. tuberculosis was the most common species in all patients, and M. marinum predominated among the nontuberculous mycobacterial, followed by M. abscessus. Cases of cutaneous mycobacterial infection, especially nontuberculous mycobacterial infection increased in the past 10 years, and infection with rapidly growing mycobacteria significantly increased in the last 5 years in this national hospital in Southeast China. Injuries were common causative factors. Approximately 91.3% of patients responded well to longstanding antibiotic therapy.