Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical site infection due to <i>Mycobacterium wolinskyi</i> after inguinal hernia surgery: A case report and review of the literature.
By Wakabayashi Y et al.·2026·Department of Internal Medicine, Japan·View original on Europe PMC →
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Plain-English summary
This case involves an 86-year-old woman who developed an infection at the site of her inguinal hernia surgery, which was performed using a synthetic mesh. After the surgery, she had a surgical site infection, but initial tests did not find any germs causing the problem. She was then transferred to another hospital where doctors removed the infected mesh and discovered that it was caused by a rare germ called Mycobacterium wolinskyi. She was treated with two antibiotics for 24 weeks, and after a year of follow-up, there were no signs of the infection returning. This case shows that Mycobacterium wolinskyi can cause infections after surgery, especially when standard tests don't find the usual germs.
Abstract
<i>Mycobacterium wolinskyi</i> (MW) is a rapidly growing mycobacterium that was first identified in 1999 using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Although the number of reported cases of MW infection has been increasing in recent years, surgical site infections (SSIs) caused by MW remain rare, and standardized treatment regimens and durations have not yet been established. Herein, we report a case of SSI caused by MW after transabdominal preperitoneal repair intervention, along with a review of SSI cases caused by MW. An 86-year-old woman underwent transabdominal preperitoneal repair of an inguinal hernia with a synthetic mesh at another hospital. As the patient developed an SSI, drainage was performed; however, no pathogens were identified. At the the request of the patient, she was transferred to our hospital, and the infected mesh was removed. MW was isolated from the infected mesh. After completion of 24 weeks of oral minocycline and levofloxacin treatment, the patient was followed up for 1 year, and no recurrence was observed. We reviewed published cases of MW-associated SSI. All patients recieved a combination of antimicrobial therapies that involved two or more agents. Among the reported cases, fluoroquinolones were most frequently used (19 cases), followed by tetracyclines (15 cases). Our findings highlight that MW can be a potential causative organism of SSIs, particularly when routine cultures do not yield the typical pathogens. Prompt surgical intervention, including effective drainage, is crucial and can allow for a shorter duration of antimicrobial treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41907159