Disseminated Nocardia farcinica involves the spinal cord: a case report and review of the literature

Brain abscesses: the first report of disseminated Nocardia beijingensis infection in an immunocompetent individual in China

Nocardia is widely distributed in the natural environment and typically cause opportunistic infections. However, it is important to note that the pathogenicity of different Nocardia species may vary significantly. Here we reported the first case of brain abscess caused by Nocardia beijingensis (N. beijingensis) infection in China. A 70-year-old male immunocompetent individual came to our hospital for treatment due to headache. After examination, it was found that he had a brain abscess caused by N. beijingensis. By utilizing a combination of surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy, the patient ultimately achieved full recovery. In addition, we isolated this strain and displayed its ultrastructure through scanning electron microscopy. The phylogenetic tree was analyzed by 16 S rRNA sequence. A literature review of N. beijingensis infections in all immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients was presented. It highlighted that abscess formation appears to be a common manifestation of N. beijingensis infection, and N. beijingensis has become an emerging pathogen in immunocompetent individuals.

Exploring Nocardia's ecological spectrum and novel therapeutic frontiers through whole-genome sequencing: unraveling drug resistance and virulence factors

Nocardia farcinica is the leading pathogen responsible for nocardiosis, a life-threatening infection primarily affecting immunocompromised patients. In this study, the genomic sequence of a clinically isolated N. farcinica sample was sequenced. Subsequently, the assembled genome was annotated to identify antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, as well as plasmid and prophages. The analysis of the entire genome size was 6,021,225 bp, with a GC content of 70.78% and consists of 103 contigs and N50 values of 292,531 bp. The genome analysis revealed the presence of several antimicrobial resistance genes, including RbpA, mtrA, FAR-1, blaFAR-1, blaFAR-1_1, and rox. In addition, virulence genes such as relA, icl, and mbtH were also detected. The present study signifies that N. farcinica genome is pivotal for the understanding of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes is crucial for comprehending resistance mechanism, and developing effective strategies to combat bacterial infections effectively, especially adhesins and toxins. This study aids in identifying crucial drug targets for combating multidrug-resistant N. farcinica in the future.

Disseminated Nocardiosis with Pulmonary Fungus and Secondary Epilepsy: A Case Report

Disseminated nocardiosis is a rare, life-threatening disease that usually found in immunocompromised patients, and Nocardia farcinica is one of the most common causative pathogens. The difficulty in identifying the bacterium and the delay in initiating appropriate therapy often influence the prognosis of patients with disseminated nocardiosis. Here, we present a rare case of disseminated nocardiosis in a 61-year-old female with pulmonary fungus and secondary epilepsy. She received targeted antibiotic therapy and showed a great recovery in clinical symptoms and radiological signs. Disseminated nocardiosis can be easily overlooked due to the absence of characteristic symptoms and limitations of clinical examinations. Given the variability in antibiotic susceptibility patterns, the management of disseminated nocardiosis must be individualized. Therefore, early diagnosis and targeted antibiotic treatment are critical for the prognosis of disseminated nocardiosis.