Death caused by possible unrecognized (too Late Recognized) Mycobacterium gordonae infection in a patient with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

Here, we present possible death caused by Mycobacterium gordonae infection in a patient with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Our patient was severely immunocompromised in whom we suspect to an infection, but we did not have isolates until she died. After she died, we received a positive sputum culture of M. gordonae. We conclude that when having severely immunocompromised patients with suspicion of infection but without isolates we should always consider the saprophytic mycobacteria. These mycobacteria require a long period of isolation, but patients with these mycobacteria are potentially curable if appropriate treatment is applied for a sufficiently long period.