Disseminated nocardiosis masquerading as abdominal tuberculosis.
A 32-year-old patient was admitted with a community-acquired pneumonia. She had clinical evidence of AIDS and chest X-ray features consistent with pulmonary tuberculosis. While in the ward she developed an acute abdomen necessitating laparotomy, at which a diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis was made. Sputum and intraoperative pus specimens grew a multiresistant Nocardia brasiliensis. Microbiological investigations for tuberculosis were negative. The patient died after a short ICU admission from multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
John
M A
MA
Departments of Medical Microbiology and General Surgery, University of Natal, Durban.
Madiba
T E
TE
Mahabeer
P
P
Naidoo
K
K
Sturm
A W
AW
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology