Mycobacterium phlei, a previously unreported cause of pacemaker infection: thinking outside the box in cardiac device infections

Showri Karnam; Venkata M Alla; Joong Kwon; Tracey Harbert; Akhilesh Sharma; Kelly Airey; Aryan Mooss

doi:10.5603/cj.2011.0034

Mycobacterium phlei, a previously unreported cause of pacemaker infection: thinking outside the box in cardiac device infections

Cardiol J. 2011;18(6):687-90. doi: 10.5603/cj.2011.0034.

Authors

Showri Karnam¹, Venkata M Alla, Joong Kwon, Tracey Harbert, Akhilesh Sharma, Kelly Airey, Aryan Mooss

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA.

PMID: 22113758
DOI: 10.5603/cj.2011.0034

Abstract

The increased use of cardiac rhythm management devices has led to an increase in cardiac device-related infections (CDI). Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis account for the vast majority of CDI. CDI due to rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria is very rare, with only about ten cases having been reported. We report a case of pacemaker pocket infection with Mycobacterium phlei. There are only three published reports of human infection involving this typically non-pathogenic organism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of CDI with Mycobacterium phlei.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy / adverse effects*
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices / adverse effects*
Cardiomyopathies / therapy*
Debridement
Defibrillators, Implantable / adverse effects*
Device Removal
Female
Humans
Mycobacterium Infections / diagnosis
Mycobacterium Infections / microbiology*
Mycobacterium Infections / therapy
Mycobacterium phlei / isolation & purification*
Prosthesis-Related Infections / diagnosis
Prosthesis-Related Infections / microbiology*
Prosthesis-Related Infections / therapy
Treatment Outcome

Substances

Anti-Infective Agents