A 59-year-old immunocompromised female with a history of renal cell carcinoma presented with fever, night sweats, and pancytopenia, suggesting disseminated infection. Initial conventional microbiological methods were slow and inconclusive. Targeted amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) of a bone marrow biopsy specimen rapidly identified Mycobacterium kansasii, leading to an expedited diagnosis of disseminated infection. This allowed for prompt initiation of appropriate anti-mycobacterial therapy, highlighting the critical role of advanced molecular diagnostics in managing complex infections in vulnerable patients.
Key note: Targeted NGS can significantly accelerate the diagnosis of disseminated atypical mycobacterial infections in immunocompromised patients, improving clinical outcomes.