Video - Nocardia

Nocardia is a gram-positive rod, filamentous, branching bacteria commonly found in soil. It is known to cause nocardiosis, a nocardia infection that can affect different parts of the body, including the skin, respiratory tract, and central nervous system

Nocardia infections are more common in people with weakened immune systems, such as those who have HIV/AIDS, organ transplants, or certain types of cancer. People with conditions that cause a deficiency in their immune system, such as diabetes, are also at an increased risk for Nocardia infections.

Symptoms vary depending on the location of the infection but commonly include fever, cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing, redness, swelling, and pain at the site of the infection. Nocardiosis of the central nervous system can cause symptoms such as headache, fever, seizures, and changes in mental function.

Diagnosis is done by identifying bacteria in a smear or a culture from respiratory secretions, skin biopsy samples, aspirates from abscesses or CSF and blood in case of disseminated disease and treatment is with antibiotics, preferably trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.