Severe Nocardia pneumonia in an immunocompromised patient with alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency

Abstract

Abstract Pulmonary nocardiosis is an uncommon pulmonary infection that is more likely found in immunocompromised patients with underlying chronic lung disease. The presentation of pulmonary nocardiosis is widely variable and shares features with other types of pulmonary infections. Nocardia is also not as easily isolated on standard culture mediums and hence more difficult to identify. We describe the case of a patient with a severe necrotising pneumonia who was chronically immunosuppressed with steroids and has alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Keywords

• Alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency
• corticosteroids
• emphysema
• immunocompromised
• Nocardia