Pulmonary nocardiosis caused by Nocardia arthritidis – A case report

Nocardiosis is a rare systemic infection caused by aerobic, Gram-positive filamentous bacteria that belong to the genus Nocardia , typically affecting immunocompromised individuals but can also manifest in immunocompetent people. We report a case of pulmonary nocardiosis caused by Nocardia arthritidis in a 56-year-old female with a history of recurrent respiratory illness. The patient presented with a persistent cough, on-and-off fever, and a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Sputum analysis revealed Gram-positive beaded branching filamentous bacilli, confirmed as N. arthritidis through molecular methods. Treatment with cotrimoxazole and ceftriaxone led to symptomatic improvement.