Chronic laryngitis caused by Mycobacterium Kansasii in a traveler

Laryngoscope. 2019 Nov;129(11):2534-2536. doi: 10.1002/lary.27952. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Abstract

Chronic laryngitis commonly presents with dysphonia, and infectious causes include tuberculosis and endemic mycoses. We present a 58-year-old female with laryngitis for 5 years, fevers, chills, fatigue, malaise, myalgias, anterior neck pain, and night sweats after multicontinent exposure. Bronchoscopy cultures were negative. Bilateral microflap excision of vocal fold lesions demonstrated thickened epithelium and a deep vocal fold mass. Biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with acid-fast bacilli. Mycobacterium kansasii was identified. Treatment led to improvement in dysphonia, systemic symptoms, and vocal fold irritation. To our knowledge, this is the first case of isolated nontuberculous mycobacterial vocal fold infection. Laryngoscope, 129:2534-2536, 2019.

Keywords: Chronic laryngitis; Mycobacterium kansasii.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laryngitis / microbiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology*
  • Mycobacterium kansasii*
  • Travel-Related Illness*