Early Disseminated Mycobacterium Abscessus Complex Infection in an Infant with Coexisting Cystic Fibrosis and Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis: Case report and literature review

Abstract

Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) is a rapidly growing mycobacterium and may rarely cause disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), it peaks between the ages of 11 and 15 years. We present a five-month-old infant with coexisting CF and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) who had pulmonary and cutaneous dissemination of MABSC infection. The management of this disseminated infection in an infant with two coexisting chronic diseases was challenging and resulted in the rapid deterioration of lung function and progression of PFIC to liver cirrhosis with a fatal outcome.

Keywords: Cystic Fibrosis; Atypical Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium Abscessus Complex; Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis; Case Report; Oman.