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Tattoos usually aren't considered to be risky procedures (an estimated 45 million people in the U.S. have at least one), but they do entail risk for infection with both standard bacterial pathogens and less common organisms.
During 3 months in 2012, physicians in a single academic dermatology practice in Seattle saw three patients who complained of pain and itch at the sites of tattoos placed 1 to 3 weeks previously. Exam showed erythematous papules and pustules within the tattooed skin. Bacterial swabs were negative, skin biopsies revealed granulomatous inflammation with negative special stains, and all specimens grew nontuberculous mycobacteria (Mycobacterium chelonae in 1, and M. abscessus in 2) within 1 month. A subsequent look-back inve…