A primary cutaneous nocardiosis of the hand

Title

A primary cutaneous nocardiosis of the hand

 Author

Camozzota, Camilla (Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital)
Goldman, Alberto (Clinica Goldman)
Tchernev, Georgi (Medical Institute of Ministry of Interior (MVR))
Lotti, T. (TU Delft BT/Environmental Biotechnology; Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi)
Wollina, Uwe (Academic Teaching Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt)

Date

2017

 Abstract

Background: Nocardiosis is caused by an aerobic actinomycete, most commonly introduced through the respiratory tract. The Nocardiae are gram-positive, partially acid-fast bacteria. Primary cutaneous nocardiosis infections are rare and caused by the traumatic introduction of organisms percutaneously. The manifestation is usually an opportunistic infection. Cutaneous involvement may develop as one of four types: mycetoma, lymphocutaneous infection, superficial skin infection, or systemic disease with cutaneous involvement. Diagnosis and evaluation of appropriate specimens are principally by culture. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old female patient with diabetes type II presented with chronic skin lesions on the hand. Otherwise, her medical history was unremarkable. There were no signs of systemic disease. Direct examination of swabs demonstrated gramme bacteria and culture on Sabouraud agar was positive for Nocardia spp. The specimen of nocardiae was not identified. The patient was treated during nine months with sulfamethoxazole plus trimethoprim. There was an important clinical improvement of the cutaneous aspect of the lesions in hand. Some scars and fibrosis remained after nocardiosis. ConclusionS: Primary cutaneous nocardiosis of the hand is a rare condition. The clinical diagnosis is difficult, and culture is mandatory.


 Subject

Actinomycetes
Antibiosis
Hand
Nocardiosis
Primary cutaneous infection
Sabauroud agar

 To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:9dfb144c-727d-4457-8f91-21a2cddc1c31

 DOI

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2017.106

 Source

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 5 (4 Special Issue GlobalDermatology), 470-472

 Part of collection

Institutional Repository

 Document type

journal article

 Rights

© 2017 Camilla Camozzota, Alberto Goldman, Georgi Tchernev, T. Lotti, Uwe Wollina
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