title: Nocardiosis in HIV-positive patients: an autopsy study in West Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are many reports of nocardiosis associated with HIV infection in industrialized and developing countries, but its true prevalence is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  An autopsy study was performed of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients dying on the general medical wards of a large hospital in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 1991.
  
  
  RESULTS
  247 HIV-positive adult cadavers were examined. 10 (4%) had nocardiosis of the lung, of whom 6 showed disseminated disease. 8 patients had one or more AIDS-defining pathologies, and 5 had nocardiosis as the main cause of death. Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 87 cadavers (35%), giving a ratio of pulmonary nocardial to tuberculous disease of 1:9. No nocardiosis was seen in 42 HIV-negative cadavers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the highest recorded prevalence of HIV-associated nocardiosis in a representative sample. The prevalence of nocardiosis varies geographically, and in zones where HIV-associated tuberculosis is common, it is possible that some patients diagnosed as smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis actually have nocardiosis. A revised strategy of sputum examination with gram stain is suggested to detect nocardia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, University College London Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hounnou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beaumel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadio
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: De Cock
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009616:Nocardia asteroides; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis