诺卡菌感染患者44例的临床特征及其预后

目的:了解诺卡菌感染患者的临床特征及预后。方法:回顾性分析2013年1月至2019年7月于上海复旦大学附属华山医院感染科诊治的44例诺卡菌感染患者的临床资料,包括一般临床表现、基础疾病、使用糖皮质激素情况、实验室检查指标(包括血常规、降钙素原、C反应蛋白、淋巴细胞亚群等)、影像学改变、菌种鉴定、治疗与转归。根据感染类型分为单纯肺部感染组、肺外单个器官感染组和播散性感染组。两组间比较采用曼-惠特尼U检验,多组间比较采用Kruskal-Wallis H检验。结果:44例诺卡菌感染患者中,14例为单纯肺部感染,17例为肺外单个器官感染(其中中枢神经系统感染9例,皮肤软组织感染6例,腹腔脓肿1例,尿路感染1例),13例为播散性感染(其中血流感染4例,中枢神经系统合并肺部或皮肤软组织感染6例,肺部合并皮肤软组织感染3例)。34例患者合并基础疾病,27例患者正在使用糖皮质激素或免疫抑制剂。11例单纯肺部感染患者的主要表现为咳嗽、咳痰;肺外单个器官感染和播散性感染患者的主要表现为发热。诺卡菌菌种以巴西、星形、鼻疽诺卡菌为主。白细胞计数和中性粒细胞比例正常或轻度升高42例,血小板计数正常或轻度下降41例,红细胞沉降率升高19例,降钙素原升高21例,C反应蛋白升高34例,铁蛋白升高18例。34例患者检测了淋巴细胞亚群,其中15例CD4+T淋巴细胞下降,14例CD8+T淋巴细胞升高,7例B淋巴细胞升高,7例B淋巴细胞下降,8例自然杀伤细胞下降。单纯肺部诺卡菌感染患者血红蛋白高于肺外单个器官感染患者,差异有统计学意义(U=0.095,P=0.025)。影像学表现以脓肿、炎症渗出为主。治愈或好转40例,1例仍在治疗,死亡3例。结论:累及各部位的诺卡菌病的临床表现无特异性,经过规范治疗可降低诺卡菌病的病死率。     

Case report of disseminated nocardiosis complicated in an elderly person with pneumoconiosis

Nocardia is typically regarded as an opportunistic infection, with pulmonary nocardiosis frequently disseminated to organs hematogenous by, and nearly half of these cases resulting in complicated nocardia brain abscess. Disseminated nocardia has a dismal prognosis with high mortality, and should be checked for multiple organs including the brain when nocardiosis is diagnosed. We describe the successful treatment of nocardia brain abscesses in an immunocompetent older people with pneumoconiosis by combining trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. Patients had no history of fever, headache, or respiratory symptoms such as cough, or sputum until the acute hemiplegia episode. Nocardia infection is not as rare as generally assumed and should be considered as a possibility in the elderly due to its high mortality.     

Disseminated nocardiosis after unrelated bone marrow transplantation

Nocardiosis is a rare bacterial infection occurring mainly in patients with deficient cell‐mediated immunity. Although disseminated nocardiosis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is a rare complication, it is associated with high mortality. Moreover, after allo‐HSCT, nocardiosis may be mistaken for other bacterial or fungal infections because clinical and radiographic findings of pulmonary, cerebral, and cutaneous nocardiosis lesions are non‐specific. Here, we report a case of disseminated nocardiosis (caused by Nocardia abscessus) with skin, pulmonary, liver, lymph node, and multiple brain abscesses in a patient after allo‐HSCT. The patient initially responded clinically and radiographically to imipenem/cilastin and trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole therapy. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of nocardiosis in allo‐HSCT recipients who are treated with multiple immunosuppressive agents to control chronic graft‐versus‐host disease. Accurate diagnosis and identification of disseminated nocardiosis is important to ensure administration of the correct antibiotic regimen.     

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-resistant Nocardia asteroides causing multiple hepatic abscesses. Successful treatment with ampicillin, amikacin, and limited computed tomography-guided needle aspiration

Hepatic abscesses are rarely encountered in disseminated Nocardia infections. Sulfonamides alone or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is often efficacious in treating infections caused by Nocardia asteroides. In vitro resistance of N. asteroides to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is occasionally present. The patient described in this report had disseminated nocardiosis initially manifesting as multiple subcapsular hepatic abscesses. In vitro susceptibility studies demonstrated resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Subsequent treatment with ampicillin and amikacin in conjunction with computed tomography-guided needle aspiration of several of the hepatic abscesses, surgical drainage of a right pleural empyema, and eventual discontinuation of use of corticosteroids resulted in cure of the infection.     

Long-term treatment of persistent disseminated Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection

In this paper a disseminated persistent Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection in an immunocompetent patient is described. The patient's long-term treatment, as well as its implications for managing similar cases in the future, is emphasized. Presenting with high fever, multiple nodules, and ulcerative cutaneous lesions of body sites, the patient was treated with various antimicrobials. Under combined therapy, empyema and arthritis, leading to disseminated nocardiosis, were seen. The overall treatment course was 28 months. It can be concluded that the choice of the antibiotics and optimal duration of treatment are uncertain; therefore the treatment of nocardiosis requires expertise.     

Pulmonary nocardiosis: risk factors and outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary nocardiosis (PN) is an infrequent but severe infection caused by Nocardia spp., which can behave either as opportunistic or primary pathogens. The present study identifies the risk factors for PN, clinical symptoms and radiographic features and the factors that affect its prognosis. METHODS: An observational study of all the patients diagnosed with PN over a 13-year period at the authors' institution. RESULTS: Thirty-one adult patients were identified with PN, 11 of whom had disseminated nocardiosis. The predisposing conditions were COPD (23%), transplantation (29%), HIV infection (19%), alcoholism (6.5%) and treatment with steroids (64.5%). Respiratory tract sampling using non-invasive techniques had a diagnostic yield of 77%, while specimens from invasive methods had a yield of 47%. Mean time to diagnosis was 42 days. Dissemination to the central nervous system was related to alcoholism. The mortality rates were 41% for PN and 64% for disseminated nocardiosis; when Nocardia disseminated to the central nervous system, the mortality was 100%. CONCLUSION: Specific risk factors were found in 94% of patients, with the most common being corticosteroid treatment and immunosuppressive therapy. The time to reach diagnosis and to prescribe specific treatment was considerable and mandatory assessment for nocardia in high-risk patients is required. The mortality rate of PN is high and early diagnosis and treatment are needed. Medications other than co-trimoxazole may be required.     

Pulmonary nocardiosis re-visited: experience of 35 patients at diagnosis

Pulmonary infection by Nocardia is an uncommon opportunistic infection in humans. Thirty-five patients with pulmonary nocardiosis were identified in two tertiary referral hospitals. A retrospective review of the patient characteristics, clinical and laboratory features including antimicrobial susceptibility at diagnosis was carried out. Radiological features derived from chest radiographs and CT scans were also documented. In our population, the predominant risk factors were immuno-compromised state, corticosteroid therapy, and underlying pulmonary pathology. The presenting features were similar to those previously described but disseminated infection was not common. The radiological changes were diverse and non-specific. Nocardia asteroides was the commonest species. Most Nocardia isolates were susceptible to imipenem, ceftriaxone, amikacin, and cotrimoxazole. Co-existing microbial agents are common and reflect the underlying complex disorders.     

Successful treatment of disseminated nocardiosis complicated by cerebral abscess with ceftriaxone and amikacin: case report.

We report the case of an 85-year-old female patient who suffered from disseminated Nocardia asteroides infection complicated by a cerebral abscess. Treatment with amikacin for 2 weeks and ceftriaxone for 6 weeks led to complete recovery, and there was no recurrence of disease over a follow-up period of 12 months after therapy. The use of ceftriaxone in combination with amikacin might significantly shorten the duration of treatment for patients with disseminated nocardiosis. This combination of antibiotics merits further investigation with use of a larger sample of patients.     

Pulmonary nocardiosis due to Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in an immunocompetent host- a rare case report

Nocardiosis is a localized or disseminated infection caused by soil-borne aerobic actinomycetes. Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare infection mostly occurring in immunocompromised patients. We reported a case of 36 year old immunocompetent non-smoker female patient with no premorbid illness who presented with fever, cough with scanty sputum, hemoptysis, left sided chest pain and exertional dyspnea for two weeks. There was no past history of tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus or steroid therapy. Chest X-ray showed homogenous peripherally based opacity in the left upper zone. Bronchoscopy was done and brushing sent for culture, which showed colonies with features of Nocardia species after 48 hours. Further phenotypic characterization revealed it to be Nocardia otitidiscaviarum. Patient was treated with cotrimaxazole for six months after which complete recovery was evidenced symptomatically and radiologically. We report this case to emphasize the fact that among the Nocardia species, Nocardia otitidiscaviarum as causative agent of pulmonary disease is rarely reported even in immunocompromised individuals.     

Failure of sulfonamides and trimethoprim in the treatment of nocardiosis

An immunocompromised patient with Nocardia brasiliensis pneumonia and empyema acquired disseminated disease due to Nocardia asteroides and died. The treatment of choice for pulmonary or disseminated nocardiosis is 6 to 12 g/day of sulfisoxazole (or adjusted dosage to achieve a serum level of 100 to 150 mg/L) continued for six to 18 months. Combination therapy may be beneficial in selected patients; if trimethoprim therapy is used with sulfonamides, higher than usual doses of trimethoprim may be required to achieve optimal antinocardial activity. When the condition of a patient with nocardiosis falls to improve on sulfonamide therapy, patient compliance should be questioned, serum sulfonamide levels should be measured, cultures and susceptibility studies should be repeated, and a search for sequestered pus should be made.     

Disseminated nocardiosis due to Nocardia farcinica: diagnosis by thyroid abscess culture

A previously healthy 75-year-old white male dentist presented with a 6-month history of low-back pain treated with chronic steroid therapy had a Nocardia farcinica infection diagnosed by aspirate of thyroid abscess and six blood cultures. Despite the treatment with parenteral combination of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, the patient failed to respond and died after two days of therapy. Autopsy revealed disseminated nocardiosis, involving lungs with pleural purulent exudate in both sides, heart, thyroid, kidneys, brain, bones, and lumbosacral soft tissue with destruction of L2-L4.     

Pulmonary nocardiosis: clinical experience in ten cases.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary nocardiosis is an infrequent infection whose incidence seems to be increasing due to a higher degree of clinical suspicion and the increasing number of immunosuppressive factors. OBJECTIVE: To study the predisposing factors, clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures, treatment and progress of pulmonary nocardiosis (PN). METHODS: Review of 10 patients (9 male, 1 female, mean age 61) with PN in a 600-bed teaching hospital, diagnosed from 1992 to 1999. RESULTS: Associated diseases observed were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 6 patients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in 3 and polymyalgia rheumatica in 1. Four patients had received oral corticotherapy for COPD for over a year (mean dose 13 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent). The main reason for consultation was an increase in dyspnea in the patients with COPD (6/6) and fever in those with HIV (3/3). Mean time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 5 weeks. In 8 patients, the infection occurred outside the hospital setting. The infection was restricted to the lung in 9/10; in the remaining case, the central nervous system (CNS) and subcutaneous tissue were affected. Lobar or multilobar consolidation was the most frequent radiographic pattern found (6/10). Sputum culture was positive when performed (8 cases). Diagnosis was made or confirmed by bronchoscopy (bronchoaspirate or protected specimen brush) in 5 patients. Germs isolated were: Nocardia asteroides (8/10), Nocardia farcinica (1/10), Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (1/10). Cotrimoxazole was the most used empirical treatment (6/10). Resolution was achieved in 5 cases. Four subjects died: 1 HIV patient with disseminated nocardiosis, and 3 COPD patients, 2 of whom had received long-term corticotherapy. Illness recurred in only 1 case, due to failure to comply with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: (1) In our geographical setting Nocardia presents as a subacute or chronic pulmonary infection, mainly outside the hospital. (2) It tends to affect only the lung. (3) Diagnosis requires a high clinical suspicion, and can be made on the basis of a sputum culture. (4) Nocardia tends to attack patients with underlying COPD, or immunodepressed patients treated with glucocorticoids, or patients with HIV infection. (5) Mortality is high in both COPD and HIV patients. (6) In our area, cotrimoxazole seems to be the most commonly prescribed treatment.     

An intrarenal abscess as presenting symptom of an infection with Nocardia farcinica in a patient after renal transplantation

Abstract: A 52-year-old man presented 8 months after transplantation with an intrarenal mass, which proved to be caused by an infection with Nocardia farcinica . Because of the potential fatal course of nocardiosis, transplantectomy was performed and long-term antibiotic treatment was instituted. Three-and-a-half years later, this patient underwent successful re-transplantation under co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. At present, more than 1 year after his second transplant has been performed, there are no signs of recurrence of Nocardia infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with nocardiosis with an intrarenal abscess as presenting symptom.     

Nocardia infection of a joint prosthesis complicating systemic lupus erythematosus

The authors report the case of a 43-year-old woman suffering from severe systemic lupus erythematosus treated with long-term prednisone, who developed Nocardia nova infection on a hip prosthesis. Sepsis occurred about two years after an episode of pulmonary nocardiosis with the same Nocardia species, that was successfully treated by 12 months of antibiotics. A good outcome of the joint infection was observed in response to antibiotics and removal of the prosthesis. Nocardiosis is a rare infection, acting as an opportunistic infection, facilitated in the present case by systemic lupus erythematosus and chronic corticosteroid therapy. Nocardia infections mainly affect the lungs, skin and central nervous system; these last two sites are mostly due to haematogenous spread, a frequent event. Treatment is based on antibiotics, usually continued for 3-12 months, especially because of the risk of relapse. The imipenem-amikacin combination appears to be more effective than trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of Nocardia nova joint prosthesis infection also presenting as late septic spread of pulmonary nocardiosis, complicating corticosteroid-treated systemic lupus erythematosus.     

Molecular diagnosis of fatal Nocardia farcinica pneumonia in an HIV-negative patient

Nocardiosis is a rare and potentially life-threatening infection caused by several species of the Nocardia genus. Most cases occur in immunocompromised patients, and a delay in establishing the diagnosis is common due to the non-specific clinical presentations and the difficulty in cultivating Nocardia. Although the majority of pulmonary nocardiosis cases are caused by Nocardia asteroides, cases of human infection due to N. farcinica are increasingly diagnosed due to recent developments in taxonomy and diagnostic methods. N. farcinica is a separate species from N. asteroides and appears to be more virulent and resistant to antibiotics. Herein, we describe the case of a 65-year-old HIV-negative immunocompromised patient with a fulminant bilateral pulmonary nocardiosis while on empirical treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and imipenem. Post-mortem diagnosis of N. farcinica infection was performed by means of DNA amplification and sequencing of the 65-kDa bacterial heat shock protein.     

A case of liver nocardiosis associated with Crohn's disease while treating infliximab

A 23-year-old man, complaining of chronic diarrhea, was given a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. He responded well to steroid therapy and infliximab administration. However, high fever appeared on the 28th day of hospitalization, and CT scan revealed multiple liver abscesses. Gram-positive branched rods were harvested by ultrasonography guided puncture examination. As Nocardia infection was suspected, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was started immediately, and his clinical course improved dramatically. Afterwards, Nocardia farcinica was isolated from the culture of the liver abscess. This case is the first report of liver nocardiosis associated with Crohn's disease. Generally, Nocardia infection can be successfully treated by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim therapy. Liver nocardiosis is very rare but could be an important complication for patients with Crohn's disease.     

Pulmonary nocardiosis during immunosuppressive therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Nocardiosis is a subacute or chronic suppurative infection caused by Nocardia species. Although it is more common in immunocompromised hosts, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has not been recognized as a predisposing factor for nocardial infection. We report a case of IPF, in which pulmonary nocardiosis developed during treatment with prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. The risk of pulmonary nocardiosis may be increased in cases of IPF on immunosuppressive therapy. Since IPF often accompanies lung carcinoma, it is important to correctly differentiate nocardiosis from carcinoma.     

Nocardial infection as a complication of AIDS: report of six cases and review

Nocardiosis has been increasingly recognized as a serious infection among persons who otherwise appear healthy and among those with underlying chronic disease, neoplasms, and immunosuppression. Nocardial infection as a complication of AIDS has been reported infrequently. Six patients with AIDS and nocardiosis were identified at one New York City hospital from January 1980 through March 1989. Sites of nocardial infection in these patients included the lungs, brain, esophagus, and suprarenal and paraspinal masses. Mycobacteria, fungi, viruses, and bacteria other than Nocardia species caused concomitant infections in three patients. Three patients died of nocardiosis. Because of such factors as the growth properties of Nocardia species, the presence of other organisms, the common use of sulfonamides for treatment of patients with AIDS, and a low index of suspicion among physicians, the incidence of nocardiosis as a complication of AIDS may possibly be underreported. Early recognition of nocardial infection may lead to an improved prognosis.     

A case of an immunocompetent young man obtaining community-acquired disseminated Nocardia brasiliensis

Nocardiosis is a rare but severe pyogenic or granulomatous disease and caused by Nocardia that mainly infects immunocompromised patients. We report here a case of an immunocompetent 24-year-old male student with community-acquired pneumonia with asymptomatic disseminated cerebral abscess by Brasiliensis nocardiosis. The patient was fully recovered after receiving optimized antimicrobial therapy without relapse. This case suggests the health professionals such as the physicians of pulmonary, infection, neurology department and et al should always think about unusual cause of community acquired pneumonia, even in immunocompetent patients and when having pulmonary nocardiosis we should do a radiological neurological work up, even with the absence of neurological finding or symptom.