Nocardia asteroides buttock abscess

Case of muscle abscess due to disseminated nocardiosis in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and review of the published work

Although disseminated nocardiosis has been increasing with the expansion of immunosuppressive therapy and improvement in diagnostic methods, muscle abscess is a rare complication. There have been only nine case reports of muscle abscess due to Nocardia infection in the English-language published work. We present a case of muscle abscess with disseminated nocardiosis, and review the published work. The patient had been taking prednisolone at 20 mg a day for autoimmune hemolytic anemia for 14 years. She presented with erythema on her thigh resembling cellulitis. Computed tomography showed muscle abscess. The isolated organism was identified as Nocardia farcinica employing polymerase chain reaction and antibiotic sensitivity testing. The diagnosis of muscle abscess due to nocardiosis can be easily missed because there are no characteristic symptoms.

A case of muscle abscess presenting to an accident and emergency department

A case is reported of a patient with acute primary muscle abscess who presented to the accident and emergency department with hip pain. Pyomyositis must be considered as a cause of muscle pain especially around the hip. A brief discussion of the diagnosis and management of pyomyositis is also presented.