 mycobacterium abscessus outbreak related to contaminated water among ventilator dependent residents of a pediatric facility pennsylvania 2022 mycobacterium abscessus a nontuberculous mycobacterium found in water and soil is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for waterborne illness outbreaks in health care settings on september 29 2022 the pennsylvania department of health padoh received notification of m abscessus positive respiratory isolates from ventilator dependent residents of a 34 bed pediatric facility the facility is licensed for residential services but not as a health care facility a case was defined as the first m abscessus positive culture identified from a resident of this facility during march august 2022 three cases were identified two colonizations and one clinical infection padoh investigated this outbreak to identify risk factors and recommend infection prevention and control ipc measures 