CASE OF DISSEMINATED NOCARDIOSIS PRESENTING IN AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENT

Abstract

Patients with deciencies in cell mediated immunity are at high risk of 1 infection with opportunistic pathogens such as Nocardia . It is challenging to diagnose and can have multisystem manifestations. Failure to diagnose and appropriately treat can result in signicant 2,3 mortality . Nocardiosis is known as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised hosts, but occasionally it has been reported in 4 immunocompetent patient . Nocardia infects the lungs, skin, central nervous system (CNS) or other organs presenting as localized or disseminated infections. Pulmonary nocardiosis is the main type of 5 nocardiosis. Nocardiosis involves the lung in 60–70% of cases . The data about worldwide incidence of Nocardia infection is limited and unclear. In An American study, Annual incidence of nocardiosis in 6 United State is about 500–1000 cases per year .Patients with the greatest susceptibility to this include those with solid organ transplant, hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, human immunodeciency virus (HIV) infected patients, patients taking corticosteroids for a long time or patients with ongoing malignant 7 processes .