title: Disseminated nocardiosis masquerading as abdominal tuberculosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medical Microbiology and General Surgery, University of Natal, Durban.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Madiba
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahabeer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Sturm
mesh_terms: 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