Insulin Injection Abscesses Caused by Mycobacterium Chelonae

Insulin injection abscesses occur in patients with diabetes and are mainly due to Staphylococcus aureus . However, we need to look for other organisms that can cause problems so that appropriate treatment can be given. Here we report a case of injection abscesses due to an atypical mycobacterium, Mycobacterium chelonae . A 43-year-old woman with diabetes presented with a 5-month history of abscesses on her thighs and abdomen at injection sites. She used a pen device three times daily (reusing the needle) and a syringe and needle in the evening. With an HbA1c of 14%, her diabetes control was far from ideal. She had a 23-year history of diabetes and had been admitted to the hospital on a few occasions for seizures during episodes of hypoglycemia. The abscesses had been treated with several courses of oral flucloxacillin but continued to enlarge …