Disseminated disease is uncommon and is typically seen in immunocompromised hosts.
This organism is an atypical acid-fast mycobacterium. Commonly, infection occurs when contaminated water is exposed to skin that has experienced open trauma. The skin is the most common site of infection, followed by the joints resulting in septic arthritis and even osteomyelitis. Although the infection often goes undiagnosed or even misdiagnosed at first, it is usually localized and curable. Cases have been reported in severely immunocompromised patients resulting in systemic infection and death.