A case of pulmonary infection due to Mycobacterium chelonae treated by lobectomy after a long course of oral antimicrobial agents

: Small nodular shadows were pointed out in right upper lobe and middle lobe on the chest radiograph of a 60-year-old woman in 1992. Mycobacterium chelonae was isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in 1994. Long term antimicrobial chemotherapy with rifampicin, ethambutol, clarithromycin and quinolone antibiotics was then started. The chest radiograph, however, revealed infiltration in the right upper and middle lobes and the isolated strain was found to be resistant to antimicrobials in 2000. She therefore underwent right upper and middle bilobectomy. She had no relapse of infection postoperatively. Surgical treatment should be considered for pulmonary infection due to Mycobacterium chelonae resistant to multiple antimicrobial chemotherapy.