Nocardiosis in HIV seropositive clinically suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients.
To determine the frequency of nocardiosis in HIV-positive individuals clinically suspected of having tuberculosis (TB), 140 sputum samples were collected and processed by Gram stain, modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and by culture on Lowenstein Jensen medium. Four (2.85%) patients were positive for nocardia by microscopy and five (3.6%) had positive culture for Nocardia asterioides. In areas where HIV-associated TB is common, some patients diagnosed as smear-negative pulmonary TB will actually have nocardiosis. Clinicians should be aware of this entity in HIV/immunocompromised patients with respiratory infections who fail to respond to antituberculous treatment.
Rasheed
M U
MU
School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Faculty, Jimma University, P O B 378, Jimma, Ethiopia. hmzrshd@yahoo.co.in
Belay
Getachew
G
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis