Nocardiosis dissemination following transthoracic needle biopsy: two case reports
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Gabriella, Forner; Carlo, Mengoli; Rodolfo, Fuser; Pier Giorgio, Scotton
- Source
- Le infezioni in medicina. 18(2)
- Subject
- Male
Biopsy, Needle
Nocardia Infections
Solitary Pulmonary Nodule
Pneumonia
Radiography, Interventional
Nocardia
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Pleural Effusion
Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
Wound Infection
Humans
Female
Pseudomonas Infections
Thoracic Wall
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Lung
Aged
Skin
- Language
- ISSN
- 2532-8689
Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare respiratory infection whose diagnosis can easily be missed because there are no suggestive symptoms. Nocardiosis is typically regarded as an opportunistic infection, but one-third of infected patients are immunocompetent. We present two situations of pulmonary lesions in immunocompetent people. A CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy was performed in both cases but was not informative. Suppurative inflammation had developed as a complication of the procedure in the biopsy site after 1-2 weeks. Pus was aspirated and culture showed Nocardia spp. Therefore we hypothesize that the pulmonary lesion was caused initially by Nocardia which had subsequently disseminated to the chest wall after the biopsy. Treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was undertaken. Resolution of the disease was evaluated according to the clinical symptoms and radiological resolution after 6 months therapy.