Nocardia spp. – characteristics, pathogenicity, treatment

Abstract Nocardia spp. bacteria are Gram-positive aerobes occurring worldwide. They cause nocardiosis, of which the most common forms are pulmonary nocardiosis and cutaneous nocardiosis. The pulmonary form progresses as a result of aspiration of pathogens into the respiratory tract, whereas the cutaneous nocardiosis, can spread to other organs (often to CNS) and includes Madura foot, both mycetoma and systemic. Infections usually affect people with immunodeficiency, for example infected with HIV or after immunosupression therapy. Nocardia asteroides is responsible for the majority of infections in humans. Diagnostic methods include cell culture and PCR. The symptoms vary depending on the form of the illness. Cough and hemoptysis are characteristic for pulmonary nocardiosis, while abscesses are typical for the cutaneous form. When the illness spreads, the symptoms vary depending on the organ. The treatment of choice is sulfonamide. 1. Introduction. 2. History. 3. Characteristics of Nocardia spp. 4. Systematics. 5. Pathogenicity. 6. Diagnostics. 7. Treatment. 8. Summary