Mycobacterium Chelonei Keratitis

A 35-year-old man developed an indolent corneal ulcer after removal of a metallic foreign body. Acid-fast bacteria were found on corneal scrapings and Mycobacterium chelonei was isolated on culture. Although initially responding to treatment with subconjunctival and topical amikacin, the patient had a relapse that necessitated a penetrating keratoplasty. Pathologic studies disclosed acid-fast organisms in the midcorneal stroma with an intact overlying epithelium.