Pulmonary nocardiosis developed in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient with bronchiolitis obliterans

Intern Med. 2010;49(14):1441-4. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.49.3658. Epub 2010 Jul 15.

Abstract

The chronic graft-versus-host disease often requires unceasing immunosuppressive therapy (IST), which increases a risk of infectious complications in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. We report an adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma case who developed pulmonary nocardiosis, a rare pulmonary complication, after allogeneic HSCT despite administration of the prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/STX). The inhaled corticosteroid in addition to systemic IST had been started for bronchiolitis obliterance 4 months prior to nocardiosis development. The patient was successfully treated with an increased dose of TMP/STX combined with meropenem. Transplantation physicians should keep this rare pulmonary complication in mind during sustained IST.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bronchiolitis Obliterans / complications
  • Bronchiolitis Obliterans / diagnosis*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nocardia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Nocardia Infections / etiology
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / diagnosis*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / etiology