Nocardia brasiliensis in Italy: A nine-year experience

Abstract

In the past, no case reports concerning N. brasiliensis infections were published from Italy. We now report 4 cases observed during 1998-2006 in 4 Italian patients, 1 immunosuppressed and 3 immunocompetent.

Primary pulmonary nocardiosis by Nocardia brasiliensis: A case report and review of Indian literature

“…For diagnosis, a strong clinical suspicion is needed, and it requires isolation and identification of Nocardia from a clinical specimen that is, sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL), fine needle aspiration, or biopsy. [245]…”

“…N brasiliensis is usually limited to cutaneous and lymphocutaneous disease but can rarely spread to produce pulmonary or disseminated disease in immunosuppressed hosts. [245]…”

In vitro activity of multiple antibiotic combinations against Nocardia: relationship with a short‐term treatment strategy in heart transplant recipients with pulmonary nocardiosis

“…We have studied the in vitro activity of several antimicrobials against 9 different Nocardia isolates that were cultured from HTx patients. The isolates were identified at the biochemical and molecular level, and are representative of those circulating in our country (23). It should be noted that, although more than 50 Nocardia species are currently known (24), the isolates we identified belonged to the 6 species most frequently found in humans in a recent survey (25).…”

A life-threatening case of disseminated nocardiosis due to Nocardia brasiliensis

“…In an Italian study, four cases of N. brasiliensis were revealed in a 9–year period. [12] An analysis of all cases of N. brasiliensis in Europe since 1990 in the same study showed that cases predominantly presented as cutaneous infections, with only a few cases presenting as pulmonary disease or bloodstream infection.…”