Nocardiosis is caused by various strains of the genus a gram-positive, acid-fast bacillus found in organic matter. Disseminated nocardiosis with central nervous system involvement is a rare infection that is most commonly seen in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 67-year-old veteran with stage IV adenocarcinoma of the lung undergoing chemotherapy who presented with new cavitary pulmonary lesions. Three weeks into his hospitalization, a sputum culture with acid-fast staining returned positive for . A subsequent computed tomography scan of the head demonstrated numerous rim-enhancing lesions presumed to be due to disseminated nocardiosis with central nervous system involvement. Disseminated nocardiosis has a high mortality rate, making prompt detection and treatment paramount for these patients. Our case highlights the importance of considering central nervous system involvement in the evaluation of a patient with nocardiosis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2022.2058831 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
December 2024
Internal Medicine, AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando, USA.
spp. rarely cause infection in humans and are most common in the immunocompromised population. Pulmonary nocardiosis is the most common presentation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of Oncology, General Hospital of Western Theatre Command, No. 270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People's Republic of China.
Background: Nocardia are widely present in nature and considered opportunistic pathogens. They can result in hematogenous spread infection through the ruptured skin or respiratory tract when the host's immune system is compromised. Currently, 119 species of Nocardia have been identified, with 54 capable of causing infections in humans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Universitario de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela.
Background: Disseminated nocardiosis is a rare and potentially fatal disease, with a higher incidence in immunocompromised patients, such as those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hematological malignancies, including lymphoma. Information on Nocardia spp. infection in Venezuela is limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
December 2024
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China.
Rationale: Nocardia infections, although rare, pose significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment, especially when involving the central nervous system (CNS). Mortality rates in such cases can be high, highlighting the need for early recognition and tailored antimicrobial therapy.
Patient Concerns: A 58-year-old male with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis, and steroid-induced diabetes mellitus presented with disorganized speech, fever, cough, dyspnea, and psychiatric symptoms.
S Afr J Infect Dis
November 2024
Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Unlabelled: Nocardiosis is a rare opportunistic infection and may be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis in the immunocompromised patient. This case report highlights the importance of doing tissue cultures in immunocompromised individuals to correctly identify spp. and initiate appropriate treatment timeously.
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