A FIBROUS CAVITY IN AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED LUNG: NOCARDIOSIS MASQUERADING AS TUBERCULOSIS

Nocardia species can cause fulminant necrotizing cavitatory pneumonia. Diagnosis involves identification of the organism, speciation and correlating with appropriate clinical and radiological findings. Speciation is often difficult due to the complexities involved in culturing the organism. Treatment involves administering antibiotics for a prolonged duration. The authors hereby report a case of pulmonary Nocardiosis in a patient who had pre-morbidities like cirrhosis of liver and membrano-proliferative glomerular nephritis on immune-suppression with high dose corticosteroids making him vulnerable to the organism.