Lung
Infectious
Bacterial
Nocardia
Author: Elliot Weisenberg, M.D.
Last author update: 1 September 2011
Last staff update: 11 June 2021
Copyright: 2003-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed search: nocardia [title] pulmonary
Table of Contents
Clinical features | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive stainsCite this page: Weisenberg E. Nocardia. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lungnontumornocardiosis.html. Accessed April 23rd, 2024.
Clinical features
- Ubiquitous saphrophyte; disease caused by inhalation or direct implantation into skin
- More than 30 species with clinical significance (Clin Microbiol Rev 2006;19:259)
- Opportunistic lung infection associated with transplantation, chemotherapy, immunosuppression, steroids
- Disease is relatively uncommon in HIV likely due to sulfonamide prophylaxis directed against P. jeroveci; HAART treatment may be effective (Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2009;20:e103)
- Complication of alveolar proteinosis
Gross images
Images hosted on other servers:
Abscess
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Focal bronchopneumonia with microabscesses, variable histiocytic response and ill defined granulomas
- If identified by anatomic pathologist, clinical microbiology laboratory should be notified as routine culture may not isolate the organism
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Yale Rosen, M.D.
Small abscess
Gram stain
Images hosted on other servers:
Modified acid fast stain
shows weakly acid fast
branching, filamentous bacilli
Positive stains
- Modified acid fast, Fite, Gram stain and GMS
- Gram stain: slender, slightly beaded, branching filamentous bacilli
