Neurologic manifestations of disseminated infection with Mycobacterium abscessus.

Mycobacterium abscessus is a ubiquitous, saprophytic organism with low pathogenic potential. The authors describe the previously unreported clinical features of meningitis and native valve endocarditis caused by this rapidly growing atypical mycobacterium. The fatal outcome of this unusual case coincides with the grim prognosis of this disseminated infection and the significant mortality rate associated with neurologic complications of infective endocarditis.