Objective: To explore the etiological factors of hand special chronic infections and their relationship with tuberculosis, and to give evidence for clinical diagnosis as well as treatments.
Methods: From 2002 to 2004 pathologic inspection, acid-fast stain, bacterial cultication, mycobacterial cultivation were performed in all 29 cases of hand special chronic infections.
Results: All cases showed granulomatous lesions in pathological appearance, 2 positive in acid-fast stain, 12 positive in bacteria cultivation, and 1 nocardiosis, 1 staphylococcus epidermidis, 7 M.marinum, 1 M.tuberculosis, 1 M.fortuitum, 1 M.kansasii.
Conclusions: Non-tuberculo-mycobacterium (NTM) especially M.marinum are far more important as the major factor than tuberculosis and other bacterial in hand special chronic infections. Bacteria cultivation should be routine examined for all cases.