RARE, SUPPURATIVE PULMONARY INFECTION CAUSED BY NOCARDIOPSIS-DASSONVILLEI RECOGNIZED BY GLYCOLIPID MARKERS

An opportunistic actinomycete was isolated as the only etiological age nt of a severe, suppurative pulmonary infection. The strain was rapidl y recognised as Nocardiopsis by the taxonomically important and immuno logically active glycolipid markers (G(1) and G(2)). Identification of the clinical isolate, from a group of actinomycetes mainly known as s oil habitants, was definitely proved by chemotaxonomic studies (cell w all/sugar, phospholipid and fatty acid types) as well as by genomic da ta (GC content, DNA-DNA reassociation). The level of DNA-DNA homology of the clinical actinomycete, in comparison with other reference membe rs of this genus, revealed the highest (88%) relatedness to Nocardiops is dassonvillei. The results confirmed the value and generic specifici ty of glycolipid markers from Nocardiopsis, the first time used for ra pid recognition of a clinical strain causing a nocardiosis-like diseas e. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Publishe d by Elsevier Science B.V.