A case of pulmonary nocardiosis with elevated serum β-D-glucan levels
Hironori Kobayashia Koichiro Shimaa Shingo Hiranoa Kazuki Komedaa Mitsutaka Iguchib Masashi Yamamotoa
aDivision of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital
bDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Nagoya University Hospital
A 69-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis was referred to our department for further evaluation in October 2013. Bronchoscopy was performed, which did not lead to a definitive diagnosis. Subsequently, he developed a fever with worsening pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiography and computed tomography (CT). He was admitted to our hospital because post-bronchoscope pneumonia was suspected. CT-guided lung biopsy was performed after the pneumonia improved, which led to the diagnosis of pulmonary nocardiosis. Although he was treated with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (ST), he died soon after. Serum β-D-glucan levels were elevated before treatment for pulmonary nocardiosis began; therefore, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, cardiac and abdominal ultrasonography, and fundoscopy were performed in addition to a blood culture. However, there were no findings suggestive of invasive fungal infection. It is possible that nocardiosis may cause elevated serum β-D-glucan levels.
Pulmonary nocardiosis (1→3)-β-D-glucan Nocardia beijingensis
Received 12 May 2017 / Accepted 16 Aug 2017
AJRS, 6(6): 436-440, 2017