Disseminated Nocardia transvalensis infection resembling pulmonary infarction in a liver transplant recipient

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1995 Apr;14(4):337-41. doi: 10.1007/BF02116527.

Abstract

Infections due to Nocardia transvalensis are extremely rare: only four disseminated infections with this pathogen have been reported, three of which ended fatally. This is the first report of a liver transplant recipient with Nocardia transvalensis infection. The patient had disseminated infection with pulmonary involvement, which presented as pulmonary infarction. Despite a ten-day delay in the administration of correct therapy, he responded rapidly to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The pitfalls of differentiating nocardial infection from pulmonary thromboembolism in solid organ transplant recipients and the diagnostic considerations unique to liver transplant recipients are discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bacteremia / diagnosis*
  • Bacteremia / drug therapy
  • Bacteremia / immunology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host*
  • Liver Transplantation* / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nocardia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Nocardia Infections / drug therapy
  • Nocardia Infections / immunology
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnosis*
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / administration & dosage
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination