Nocardia – Opportunistic chest infection in elderly: A case report
2008

Nocardia Infection in an Elderly Patient

Sample size: 1 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Sanyal Kaushik, Sabanathan Kanagasabesan

Primary Institution: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Conclusion

An 80-year-old woman with a history of tuberculosis and on low-dose steroids was diagnosed with a Nocardia infection and successfully treated with co-trimoxazole.

Supporting Evidence

  • Nocardia is a weakly aerobic gram positive bacteria that can cause serious infections.
  • The patient had a history of tuberculosis and was on low-dose steroids, which increased her risk.
  • Initial antibiotics were ineffective until Nocardia was identified in the sputum.

Takeaway

This study talks about an elderly woman who got sick from a rare germ called Nocardia, but she got better after taking medicine.

Methodology

The patient was diagnosed through sputum culture and treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 6 months.

Participant Demographics

An 80-year-old non-smoking white female.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1757-1626-1-122

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