Mycobacterium shimoidei cavitary pneumonia: A rare case report, literature review
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: • Mycobacterium shimoidei is rare cause of non-tuberculous mycobacterium infections. • Most common risk factors include COPD and previous Tuberculosis infection. • Most isolates are susceptible to ethambutol, clarithromycin and rifabutin. • A combination of 2–3 antibiotics used for duration of 12–18 months. Mycobacterium shimoidei is a rare non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) which causes pneumonia. Since its discovery in 1975, less than 50 cases have been published and this would be only the fourth case in the US. We present a case of Mycobacterium shimoidei in a 72-year-old male with symptoms of cough, dyspnea, and weight loss with cavitary lung lesion on imaging. Sputum cultures grew Mycobacterium shimoidei in two separate collections, and the patient was treated with oral azithromycin, ethambutol, and rifabutin empirically. Though due to medication side effects rifabutin was stopped and other antibiotics were attempted based on susceptibilities but he was unable to tolerate any of them. Thus, only a two-drug regimen including ethambutol and azithromycin was used, on which he improved clinically and cavitary lung lesions decreased in size. In addition, we did a literature review and compiled 41 previously published cases of Mycobacterium shimoidei.
Authors: Siddartha Guru, David Ingram
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,470
OpenAlex ID: W4409855255