A pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium chelonae infections related to bronchoscopy.

Mycobacterium gordonae and rapidly growing "atypical" mycobacteria including Mycobacterium chelonae are commonly found in tap water. This article describes a pseudo-outbreak of M chelonae infections related to bronchoscopy. Because patients may be treated and isolated unnecessarily when positive with acid-fast bacilli before the species are known, the financial burden for patients and hospitals may be great.