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Case Reports
. 2016 Aug 12:6:9-12.
doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2016.08.003. eCollection 2016.

Disseminated Nocardia farcinica in an immunocompetent patient

H Boamah  1 , P Puranam  1 , R M Sandre  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Disseminated Nocardia farcinica in an immunocompetent patient

H Boamah et al. IDCases. .

Abstract

Nocardia farcinica is a gram-positive, partially acid-fast, methenamine silver-positive aerobic actinomycete that is infrequently associated with nocardiosis. The relative frequency of Nocardia farcinica isolates in nocardiosis is unknown but thought to be under diagnosis. It is increasingly been recognized in immunocompetent patients. We report a case of disseminated Nocardia farcinica causing brain abscess in 55 year old immunocompetent man who was successfully treated with long term antibiotics. The present report illustrates that early detection and treatment of disseminated Nocardia farcinica can lead to a good outcome.

Keywords: Disseminated brain abscess; Immunocompetent; Nocardia farcinica.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chest radiograph showing a wedge-shaped nodular opacity measuring 3.1 × 3.25 cm in the left upper lobe adjacent to the pleura.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Chest CT scan showing subpleural mass in the lateral aspect of the left upper lung lobe and a smaller spiculated and eccentrically cavitary 1.4 cm nodule in the posterior and subpleural aspect of the left lower lobe.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
MRI of the head with gadolinium shows a T2 hypointense lesion involving the left head of the caudate nucleus with perifocal edema suspicious for a fungal abscess.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
CSF culture showing beaded branching gram positive bacilli.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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