Pulmonary nocardiosis in human immunodeficiency virus infection: a tuberculosis mimic.
Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are prone to develop pulmonary infections like nocardiosis. It is often misdiagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis since the manifestations are similar. A twenty-seven years old male presented with fever, cough with expectoration and weight loss for two months. Chest radiograph showed opacity in the right mid zones. Sputum smears were negative for acid fast bacilli (AFB) and revealed gram positive branching filamentous organisms resembling Nocardia species. Subsequently, Nocardia was grown on sputum culture. HIV antibody was positive by ELISA test. He was treated with co-trimoxazole. If sputum is repeatedly tested negative for AFB in the setting of radiological suspicion of tuberculosis, testing for Nocardia species should be considered in the HIV-infected patients.
Subhash
H S
HS
Department of Medicine and Respiratory Medicine, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore - 632 004, Tamilnadu, India. hssubhashcmc@hotmail.com
Christopher
D J
DJ
Roy
A
A
Cherian
A M
AM
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination