Severe pneumonia caused by Nocardia farcinica and complicated by Staphylococcus haemoliticus superinfection

P. Bruno, A. Ricci, A. Pezzuto, L. Martone, G. Gencarelli, S. Mariotta

Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, “Sapienza” University, Pneumology UOC, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome (Italy)

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• Respiratory Medicine

It is reported the case of a subject 54 years old, painter, drinker and smoker who after an episode of cooling and the occurrence of widespread pain was taking its own initiative, cortisone and analgesics from approximately 30 days. The symptoms worsened and the patient was hospitalized. Chest X-ray and CT scan showed an extensive opacity in the left upper lobe with excavations in the context and also some nodular opacities excavated in the contralateral lung. In the first eight days after admission, the clinical picture despite empirical antibiotic therapy worsened towards adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). On the ninth day after the admission, strains of Nocardia farcinica and Staphylococcus haemoliticus were isolated from the sputum. The targeted therapy (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, amikacin, etc.) induced a rapid improvement of the clinical picture that was resolved in 6 months. Pneumonia caused by Nocardia farcinica is rare but its identification is necessary to set an appropriate therapy.

Corresponding Author: Pierdonato Bruno, MD; e-mail: pierdo.bruno@tiscali.it.

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