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Vol. 15. Issue 4.
Pages 384-386 (July - August 2011)
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Vol. 15. Issue 4.
Pages 384-386 (July - August 2011)
Case report
Open Access
Infectious endocarditis caused by Nocardia sp.: histological morphology as a guide for the specific diagnosis
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Jussara Bianchi Castelli1,
Corresponding author
jussara.castelli@incor.usp.br

Correspondence to: Laboratory of Pathotological Anatomy, InCor - HCFMUSP, Av. Dr. Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44, 05403-000, São Paulo, SP Brazil.
, Rinaldo Focaccia Siciliano2, Edson Abdala3, Vera Demarchi Aiello1
1 Laboratory of Pathology, InCor, Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
2 Infection Control Unit, InCor, Medical School, USP, Brazil
3 Liver Tranplant Service, Gastroenterology Department, Medical School, USP, Brazil
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Abstract

Nocardia is a rare opportunistic agent, which may affect immunocompromised individuals causing lung infections and exceptionally infective endocarditis (IE). There are few reports of IE caused by Nocardia sp., usually involving biological prostheses but rarely in natural valves. Its accurate microbiological identification may be hampered by the similarity with Rhodococcus equi and Corynebacterium spp. Here we report a case of native mitral valve IE caused by this agent in which the clinical absence of response to vancomycin and the suggestion of Nocardia sp. by histology pointed to the misdiagnosis of Corynebacterium spp. in blood cultures. The histological morphology can advise on the need for expansion of cultivation time and use of extra microbiological procedures that lead to the differential diagnosis with Corynebacterium spp. and other agents, which is essential to establish timely specific treatment, especially in immunocompromised patients.

Keywords:
mitral valve
endocarditis, bacterial
Nocardia infections
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Copyright © 2011. Elsevier Editora Ltda.. All rights reserved
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