Advances in therapeutic strategies against Mycobacterium marinum infection.

INTRODUCTION

There is currently no unified standard treatment for Mycobacterium marinum (M. marinum) infection, and its treatment faces clinical challenges, such as limited drug options and increasing drug resistance. Therefore, reviewing the progress in its treatment is of significant importance for guiding clinical practice. This article systematically reviews the advances in the treatment of M. marinum infection.

AREAS COVERED: This study systematically reviewed relevant literature by searching four electronic databases, PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wan Fang database, for publications up to 1 January 2026, and summarized the current treatment landscape of M. marinum infections, including oral antibacterial monotherapy and combination regimens, novel local treatments such as photodynamic therapy, and adjuvant therapies including hyperthermia, surgical interventions, and immunomodulation.

EXPERT OPINION: M. marinum infection can involve the skin and deep tissues, and standardized diagnosis and treatment are pivotal for improving its prognosis. Optimizing antimicrobial regimens and applying novel local therapies hold considerable value, yet critical issues, such as the lack of treatment standards, persist. Future multicenter studies and precision treatment models are needed to establish a new paradigm of precise, diversified, and standardized clinical management.