Mycobacterium shimoidei Pulmonary Disease: The First Case in Korea

Mycobacterium shimoidei is a nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), and is rarely reported as a pathogen causing the NTM pulmonary disease. We describe here the case of a 52-year-old male with symptoms such as chronic cough and a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Radiologic studies revealed a cavitary lesion in the left upper lobe of his lung. Sputum culture was positive for NTM, which was later identified as M. shimoidei using 16S rRNA and hsp65 sequencing. The patient's symptoms, radiologic evidence, and positive culture results together substantiate that this is the first case of M. shimoidei pulmonary disease from Korea.