Pulmonary nocardiosis mimicking relapse of tuberculosis

The present report concerns a case of pulmonary nocardiosis in an immunocompetent host. This patient was diagnosed as having smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and received supervised antitubercular treatment for 6 months from a government run tuberculosis centre (Directly Observed Therapy, Short-Course (DOTS) centre). At 3 months after completion of treatment, she presented with fever and cough with posterior-anterior (PA) view chest x ray showing a cavitary lesion on left upper zone. She was subsequently diagnosed as having a case of pulmonary nocardiosis and responded to oral cotrimoxazole.