Peritoneal dialysis-associated infection caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in a pediatric patient on continuous peritoneal dialysis without switching to hemodialysis

Most peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) require a transfer from PD to hemodialysis (HD). Here, we report a pediatric case of exit-site and tunnel infections caused by M. abscessus, for whom PD was continued with catheter replacement, debridement of the infected site, and the administration of multiple antibacterial agents. A 10-year-old boy with end-stage kidney disease secondary to juvenile nephronophthisis with NPHP1 deletion, for whom PD was initiated at the age of 9 years, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of fever, pus at the exit-site of the PD catheter, and poor PD drainage. The dialysis effluent culture results were negative; however, M. abscessus was detected in the pus at the exit-site of the PD catheter. The management of HD was expected to be challenging owing to the presence of developmental disorders. Therefore, PD was continued with the simultaneous removal of the PD catheter, reinsertion of a new catheter at a new site, and debridement of the infected site. Multiple antibacterial therapies were administered for 2 months, and the patient was eventually discharged without switching to HD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first pediatric case of a PD-associated infection caused by M. abscessus, for whom PD was continued without switching to HD. This treatment strategy is not generally recommended but may be an option for patients without peritonitis who have difficulty switching to HD.