title: Nocardia nova aortitis after coronary artery bypass surgery.
abstract: Cardiac nocardiosis is a rare disease that is nearly always associated with cardiac operation. We report the case of a patient with a 10-month history of intermittent fevers after coronary artery bypass operation who presented with progressive shortness of breath and fever. He was found to have a large aortic aneurysm secondary to Nocardia nova infection likely transmitted during his original bypass operation. This is the first reported case of Nocardia aortitis after coronary bypass operation and serves to alert physicians of this rare but serious postoperative complication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA. dliff@learnlink.emory.edu
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Liff
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: Khan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pohlel
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franco-Paredes
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001025:Aortitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection