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Nocardiosis
Nocardiosis is an infectious disease affecting either the lungs (pulmonary nocardiosis) or the whole body (systemic nocardiosis). It is due to infection by bacterium of the genus Nocardia, most commonly Nocardia asteroides or Nocardia brasiliensis. It is most common in men, especially those with a compromised immune system. In patients with brain infection, mortality exceeds 80%; in other forms, mortality is 50%, even with appropriate therapy.[1] ==Causes==also from organ transplants Normally found in soil, these organisms cause occasional sporadic disease in humans and animals throughout the world. The usual mode of transmission is inhalation of organisms suspended in dust. Transmission by direct inoculation through puncture wounds or abrasions is less common.[1] Generally, nocardial infection requires some degree of immune suppression. Additional recommended knowledge
SymptomsPulmonary Infection
Neurological Infection
[1] Lymphocutaneous disease
Ocular disease
Disseminated nocardiosis
DiagnosisDiagnosis may be difficult. Nocardiae are weakly acid-fast organisms and can be visualized by modified Ziehl Neelsen stains like Fite-Faraco method In the clinical laboratory, routine cultures may be held for insufficient time to grow nocardiae, and referral to a reference laboratory may be needed for species identification.[2] Infiltration and pleural effusion are usually seen via x-ray. TreatmentNocardiosis requires at least 6 months of treatment, preferably with co-trimoxazole or high doses of sulfonamides. In patients who don’t respond to sulfonamide treatment, other drugs, such as ampicillin, erythromycin, or minocycline, may be added. Treatment also includes surgical drainage of abscesses and excision of necrotic tissue. The acute phase requires complete bed rest; as the patient improves, activity can increase.[1] A new combination drug therapy (sulfonamide, ceftriaxone, and amikacin) has also shown promise.[2] References
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Nocardiosis". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. |