Nocardiosis in renal transplant recipients in Kuwait

BACKGROUND.: Nocardiosis has emerged as an important bacterial disease amongrenal transplant recipients, leading to considerable morbidityand mortality. Apart from the increasing problem of resistancein pathogenic nocardiae, the spectrum of species causing diseasehas enlarged in recent years. There are no published reportson nocardiosis from Middle-East countries. METHODS.: A retrospective review of case records of 513 renal transplantrecipients between January 1989 and January 1995 was done inthe transplant unit of our hospital. Information was collectedon clinical details, type of donor, immunosuppressive therapy,prophylaxis, and outcome. Isolation of Nocardia species fromappropriate clinical specimens was the sole criterion for diagnosis. RESULTS.: Nocardiosis was diagnosed in six recipients with a disease incidenceof 1.2%. Four patients had received unrelated kidneys. Co-morbidconditions were diabetes mellitus (3), viral hepatitis (2) andneutropenia (1). Clinical manifestations included deep-seatedskin abscesses and pulmonary disease in three each. Cerebralabscess and meningitis were found in two patients with pulmonarydisease. Pathogens were Nocardia asteroides in four and N. otitidiscaviarum and N. farcinica in one each. In contrast to invitro susceptibility results, clinical response was differentin that five patients who received trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole(TMP-SMX) alone (2) or in combination with cefuroxime (3) respondedwell. CONCLUSION.: The study stresses a high index of suspicion for nocardiosisin susceptible hosts who present with cutaneous abscess, pulmonaryinfiltrative lesions, and cerebral manifestations. TMP-SMX incombination with cefuroxime seems to be a highly effective therapy.It does not appear mandatory to reduce or discontinue immunosuppressivetherapy during treatment of nocardiosis.