Fatal disseminated Nocardia farcinica infection in a renal transplant recipient

Six years after a renal cadaver transplant, a 20-year-old girl developed mu ltiple painful cutaneous abscesses and bilateral pneumonia secondary to Noc ardia farcinica infection. Despite broad in vitro sensitivity to several an tibiotic agents and aggressive medical treatment, the patient failed to res pond and died after 10 weeks of therapy. We conclude that Nocardia farcinic a is a very aggressive organism in immunocompromised patients and is often resistant to antimicrobial agents.