Human Nocardiosis: A Developing Clinical Picture

Primary pulmonary nocardiosis: case report

“…Sporadic case reports appeared until about a decade ago, but more recently an increased number of cases have been reported, especially from North America. There appears to be an increase in the incidence of the disease, though there are geographical variations in its distribution (Murray, Finegold, Froman, and Will, 1961;Brine, 1965). Murray et al (1961) reviewed 179 cases reported in the literature up till 1961.…”

Pulmonary nocardiosis in a 3-year-old child

“…In the 11 cases described by Freese and his colleagues, thoracotomy was performed only in three whose lesions were thought to be tuberculous. Brine (1965) advocates early complete excision of the focus as well as the institution of long-term sulphadiazine therapy. We have naturally wondered whether this would have been the right course in this child, but at a time when his general condition was very poor right pneumonectomy would almost certainly have proved fatal.…”

Nocardia species: host-parasite relationships.

“…Thus, when lesions are found at two or more locations within the body, the infection is defined as systemic or disseminated nocardiosis. Any anatomic location can be involved, but the most common sites that become infected during dissemination include the CNS, cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, eyes (especially the retina), kidneys, joints, bone, and heart (22,26,36,51,105,107,122,135,144,149,156,159,176,191,218,220,251,253,254,260,263,304,352,375,391,392,423,454,459,466,478,479,503,520,522,525,538,540,566,569,585,589,601,631,708,719,731,734).…”