[Digital tenosynovitis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Apropos of the 4th case caused by Mycobacterium terrae].

A 75 year old man developed chronic flexor tenosynovitis in a finger, caused by Mycobacterium terrae. He had a history of diabetes mellitus and arteritis, but not of local trauma. However, triamcinolone had been injected into the tendon sheath on 3 occasions. Chemotherapy was instituted, but after 3 months amputation became mandatory. This is the fourth case reported in which M. terrae was involved, and it supports the responsibility of this organism as a human pathogen. Attention is drawn to the hazards of corticosteroid injections into tendon sheaths.