Korean J Dermatol.  2009 Sep;47(9):1024-1028.

A Case of Disseminated Cutaneous Nocardiosis due to Nocardia brasiliensis Diagnosed by Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy and 16S Ribosomal RNA Sequencing

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kwanglee@yuhs.ac
  • 2Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Nocardiosis is a rare, life-threatening infection in the immunocompromised host. The causative bacteria are members of the genus Nocardia and are filamentous gram-positive bacilli that usually infect the lung, skin, and central nervous systems. Cutaneous nocardiosis presents as a disseminated infection or as a primary infection resulting from inoculation. Isolation of Nocardia from clinical specimens and identification of species is difficult and needs the expertise of a microbiologist. These infections are particularly important because of the associated high risk of dissemination. Hence, prompt identification of this organism is crucial. Herein we report a case of disseminated nocardiosis caused by N. brasiliensis in a 64-year-old man diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) and 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The patient was treated with trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole, imipenem, and amikacin with an improvement of symptoms.

Keyword

Cutaneous; Nocardiosis; N. brasilliensis

MeSH Terms

Amikacin
Bacteria
Biopsy
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Central Nervous System
Humans
Imipenem
Immunocompromised Host
Lung
Middle Aged
Nocardia
Nocardia Infections
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Skin
Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim
Amikacin
Imipenem
Nocardia Infections
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Sulfamethoxazole
Trimethoprim
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