[Disseminated nocardiosis in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Arch Pediatr. 2008 Mar;15(3):275-8. doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2007.12.006. Epub 2008 Mar 5.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Nocardiosis is a rare infectious disease in children. We report here a disseminated nocardiosis in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient presented prolonged febrile neutropenia and nodular pneumopathy. Based on the amplification of a 16S rDNA, a PCR assay detected Nocardia sp. in the patient's bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Culture of BAL samples yielded Nocardia nova colonies after 2 weeks of incubation. Hepatic, splenic, renal and cerebral localisations were detected on extension checkup. trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole and amikacine were started given the results of PCR assay, with a good response. Improvement of the patient's general condition led to complete chemotherapy under ciprofloxacine and ceftriaxone treatment, without nocardiosis reactivation. Nocardiosis is a rare complication in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis is widely used to prevent Pneumocystis jiroveci infection in children with haematologic malignancies. As Nocardia species are usually sensible, trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole could play a role in Nocardia prophylaxis in such population. In our patient, compliance with trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole had been low. Nocardia species are relatively fastidious growth bacteria and are difficult to isolate with classical bacteriological techniques. Molecular methods are now available, with a good sensitivity and fast results allowing to start an appropriate antibiotherapy before culture results, as early treatment is a major prognosis factor in nocardiosis. Nocardia infection should be suspected in case of nodular pneumopathy in immunocompromised children. An extension checkup should be performed to detect secondary localisations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Nocardia Infections / complications*
  • Nocardia Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • Nocardia Infections / pathology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / complications*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / pathology
  • Radiography

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents