A previously unknown
Nocardia
species was isolated from the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of a 58-year-old woman with bronchiectasis and recurrent pneumonia. This
Nocardia
(GZ2020
T
), which grew readily in Columbia blood agar and could induce pneumonia in a mouse model, represents a novel
Nocardia
species, and its closest known relatives are
Nocardia anaemiae
NBRC 100462
T
,
Nocardia pseudovaccinii
NBRC 100343
T
and
Nocardia vinacea
NBRC 16497
T
. However, unlike all previously known species, GZ2020
T
is the first genus of
Nocardia
spp. that is not susceptible to multiple drugs but does show susceptibility to linezolid and moxifloxacin, and thus, GZ2020
T
potentially represents a substantial health threat to patients with bronchiectasis and immunocompromised individuals. Although the original pathogen source and method of spreading remain uncertain, a mode of transmission from the environment to humans could exist. Vigilance with respect to its spread in the population and the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment should be maintained.