Pulmonary nocardiosis. Therapy with minocycline and with erythromycin plus ampicillin

Sulfonamides were ineffective in the treatment of pulmonary nocardiosis in one recipient of a renal homotransplant and produced severe sensitivity reactions precluding their further use in another. Favorable antinocardial and clinical effects were achieved by treatment with erythromycin plus ampicillin in the latter and with minocycline in the former. Selection of appropriate therapy was based on tests for susceptibility of the causative organism to antimicrobial agents, for which suitable inoculum, medium, and incubation period were used.