Pulmonary nocardiosis in an elderly man

The identification could only be done up to genus level by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry. Extensive air space opacification similar to our case has been described in other cases series as well.3 The differentials of nocardiosis include tuberculosis, fungal infections and malignancy.2 Like MTBC, it is acid fast (using modified acid-fast staining) but may not grow after the decontamination procedures used for MTBC diagnostics is employed. [...]growth of Nocardia spp on culture may require prolonged incubation up to 3 weeks. [...]laboratory should be communicated about the suspicion of nocardiosis.4 Patients with severe pulmonary nocardiosis are usually treated initially with a two-drug combination intravenous therapy containing imipenem, cotrimoxazole, linezolid or amikacin depending on the susceptibility.