Nocardiosis in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: 10-Year Single Center Experience and Review of Literature

Abstract

Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are at an increased risk of nocardiosis, a rare but life-threatening opportunistic infection. Universal PCP prophylaxis with trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is used at our center, which is active in vitro against most species of the Nocardia genus and may have a role in preventing early infections. This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of nocardiosis in adult SOTRs at a large transplant center between January 2012 and June 2022, with comprehensive review of literature. Out of 6179 consecutive cases, 13 (0.2%) were diagnosed with nocardiosis. The patients were predominantly male (76.9%) and kidney transplant recipients (62%). Infection was diagnosed at median of 8.8 months (range, 3.7–98) after transplant. Patients were followed for a median of 457 days (range 8–3367). Overall mortality within one year after diagnosis was 46% (6/13), of which 17% (1/6) of deaths was attributable to Nocardia infection. No recurrence was reported. Nocardia infections were noted in a small proportion of our SOTRs and carried significant morbidity and mortality. TMP-SMX prophylaxis may be protective in some cases given low incidence of cases.

Keywords

• <i>Nocardia</i>
• nocardiosis
• opportunistic infection
• solid organ transplant
• case series