FIRST REPORTED NOCARDIA-OTITIDISCAVIARUM INFECTION IN AN AIDS PATIENTIN ITALY

Nocardiosis is a well-described infection in immunocompromised patient s, and has been rarely documented in patients with AIDS, Nocardia aste roides is the most frequently isolated etiologic agent. Rare cases are due to N. brasiliensis and N. otitidiscaviarum. This work describes t he first case of nocardiosis in Italy caused by N. otitidiscaviarum in an AIDS patient. A 31 year-old intravenous drug abuser with a diagnos is of full-blown AIDS, presented with high fever and lymphadenitis wit h a fistula draining copious purulent discharge. Broad-spectrum antibi otic therapy was initiated, but the patient did not show any improveme nt. Direct examination of the pus revealed numerous gram positive rods . When cultured N. otitidiscavarium was isolated and identified by mor phological and biochemical tests.