Pulmonary nocardiosis caused by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in an adult asthmatic female patient: The presence of acid-fast branching filaments is always significant

Abstract

We report a case of pulmonary nocardiosis in a 41-year-old asthma patient. Chest radiographs showed bilateral air space and consolidations. Acid-fast branching filaments were demonstrated in sputum, and the grown organism was identified phenotypically and confirmed using 16S rDNA sequencing (accession no. KX500116). The patient received a combination of medical treatments, but developed complications, which were managed over the next 3 months, after which she was discharged. Pulmonary nocardiosis should be considered in patients undergoing steroid therapy or when a chronic infection does not respond to first-line treatment.