title: [Nocardiosis: A retrospective case series of 19 patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nocardiosis are uncommon. The diagnosis may be difficult, with significant morbidity and mortality, often occurring on frail patients. Few data are available in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective single center study was conducted from 2002 to 2014 and included all patients with at least one positive microbiological sample for Nocardia with a follow-up in our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen patients, including 15 men, were included with a mean age of 58 years (25-85). Seventeen had a risk factor (lung diseases [13], corticosteroids [12], solid neoplasia [2], HIV infection [2], diabetes mellitus [3], kidney transplant [2], lymphopenia [1]). Infections' locations were: pulmonary (12), brain (3), skin (2), lymph node (1) and corneal (1). The slow growth leads to a median of 35 days for a positive result (3-95). Nine species were identified. Fifteen patients (79%) received one or more lines of antibiotics including: cotrimoxazole (9), amoxicillin (7) cefotaxime/ceftriaxone (7) imipenem (3), or amikacin (3). The average duration of antibiotic therapy was 207 days. Four patients did not receive antibiotics due to a late result or a bacterial co-infection masking nocardiosis. Five patients died (26%) including 2 with cerebral nocardiosis. Six patients were cured, 4 suffered a relapse, 4 had an unknown evolution, and 1 was still treated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that nocardiosis is a disease difficult to treat. A better understanding of this type of infection is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, centre hospitalier universitaire Dupuytren, 2, avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges cedex, France; Service de médecine interne A et polyclinique, centre hospitalier universitaire Dupuytren, 2, avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges cedex, France. Electronic address: eve.lc@free.fr.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Le Coustumier
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, centre hospitalier universitaire Dupuytren, 2, avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges cedex, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Denes
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de bactériologie-virologie-hygiène, centre de biologie et recherche en santé, CHU Dupuytren, 2, avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, centre hospitalier universitaire Dupuytren, 2, avenue Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges cedex, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weinbreck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiothérapie; Antibiotics; Bronchopneumopathie; Immunodépression; Immunosuppression; Nocardia; Pulmonary disease; Transplantation