Cutaneous Nocardia arthritidis infection in an orthotopic liver transplant recipient

Abstract

Nocardiosis is a potentially life-threatening infection that affects both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts. We discuss a case of an elderly gentleman with history of orthotopic liver transplantation who presented with cellulitis of his left forearm. When he did not respond to the typical antibiotic coverage for bacterial cellulitis, skin biopsy was performed. N. arthritidis was identified as the pathogen, a relatively newly identified human pathogen first described to cause human disease in 2004. Keywords: Nocardiosis, Nocardia arthritidis, Immunocompromised, Cutaneous infection