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
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- 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.