Disseminated nocardiosis in an elderly patient presenting with prolonged pyrexia: Diagnosis by thyroid abscess culture.
We report a case of nocardiosis in an immunosuppressed elderly patient who presented with prolonged pyrexia. Nocardia asteroides was isolated from the thyroid, with CT scan evidence of dissemination to the brain, abdomen and lungs. The patient succumbed to illness despite aggressive therapy. Autopsy could not be performed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case from India, on Nocardia asteroides affecting the thyroid tissue.
Indumathi
V A
VA
Gokula Metropolis Clinical Laboratory, MS Ramaiah Medical Teaching Hospital, Bangalore - 560 054, Karnataka, India. indumathi222000@rediffmail.com
Shivakumar
N S
NS
D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005334:Fever / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009616:Nocardia asteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology