Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (GAM-5) induces parkinsonian-like alterations in mouse

Parkinson's disease, a major neurodegenerative disorder in humans whose etiology is unknown, may be associated with some environmental factors. Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (GAM-5) isolated from a patient with an actinomycetoma produced signs similar to Parkinson's disease following iv injection into NMRI mice. NMRI mice were infected intravenously with a non-lethal dose of 5 x 10(6) colony forming units of N. otitidiscaviarum (GAM-5). Fourteen days after bacterial infection, most of the 60 mice injected exhibited parkinsonian features characterized by vertical head tremor, akinesia/bradykinesia, flexed posture and postural instability. There was a peak of nocardial growth in the brain during the first 24 h followed by a decrease, so that by 14 days nocardiae could no longer be cultured. At 24 h after infection, Gram staining showed nocardiae in neurons in the substantia nigra and occasionally in the brain parenchyma in the frontal and parietal cortex. At 21 days post-infection, tyrosine hydroxylase immunolabeling showed a 58% reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra, and a 35% reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase in the ventral tegmental region. Dopamine levels were reduced from 110 ± 32.5 to 58 ± 16.5 ng/mg protein (47.2% reduction) in brain from infected mice exhibiting impaired movements, whereas serotonin levels were unchanged (191 ± 44 protein in control and 175 ± 39 ng/mg protein in injected mice). At later times, intraneuronal inclusion bodies were observed in the substantia nigra. Our observations emphasize the need for further studies of the potential association between Parkinson's disease or parkinsonism-like disease and exposure to various nocardial species.

Uncommon mandibular osteomyelitis in a cat caused by Nocardia africana

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nocardiosis: an overview and additional report of 28 cases in cattle and dogs

Phenotypic characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and clinical-epidemiological features of 28 Nocardia strains isolated from 19 cases of bovine mastitis, eight cutaneous-subcutaneous lesions and one case of pneumonia in dogs were evaluated. Microbiological, biochemical, cytological and scanning electron microscopy methods were used in diagnosis. Nocardia asteroides type IV, Nocardia otitidiscaviarum,Nocardia nova (type III) and Nocardia farcinica (type V) were isolated from bovine milk, bronchial lavage and/or cutaneous-subcutaneous abscesses in dogs. Nocardial bovine mastitis was diagnosed predominantly in clinical cases, in dairy herds with poor environmental hygienic conditions between milking and inappropriate intramammary therapy. Canine nocardiosis was observed commonly in animals co-infected with distemper virus. Sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim (92.8%), amikacin (92.8%) and ceftiofur (92.8%) were the most effective drugs in 28 isolates. Multiple drug resistance to three or more and five or more antimicrobials was observed in ten (35.7%) and three (10.7%) strains, respectively, predominantly with use of cloxaxillin, cefoperazone and ampicillin. The species (type) classification, clinical-epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis, multiple-drug resistance and public health considerations in Nocardia strains isolated from cattle and dogs in Brazil are discussed, with special reference to report of bovine mastitis by N. otitidiscaviarum by first time in Brazil and the similarity between Nocardia species isolated from human and animal origin.

Nocardiosis: an overview and additional report of 28 cases in cattle and dogs

A caracterização fenotípica, perfil de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos e aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos foram avaliados em 28 linhagens de Nocardia isoladas de 19 casos de mastite, oito lesões tegumentares e um caso de pneumonia em cão. Foram utilizados no diagnóstico métodos microbiológicos, bioquímicos, citológicos e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Nocardia asteroides tipo IV, N. otitidiscaviarum,N. nova (tipo III) e N. farcinica (tipo V) foram isoladas do leite de vacas com mastite, de material de lavado transtraqueal e de lesões cutâneas de cães. Nocardiose mamária bovina foi diagnosticada predominantemente sob a forma clínica, em propriedades com precárias condições de higiene na pré e pós-ordenha, e inadequado procedimento de terapia intramamária. Nocardiose canina foi diagnosticada comumente em animais co-infectados com o vírus da cinomose. Sulfametoxazole/trimetoprim (92,8%), amicacina (92,8%) e ceftiofur (92,8%) foram os antimicrobianos mais efetivos frente às linhagens de Nocardia. Resistência múltipla a três ou mais e cinco ou mais antimicrobianos foram observadas, respectivamente, em dez (35,7%) e três (10,7%) linhagens, notadamente frente à cloxacilina, cefoperazona e ampicilina. A caracterização de espécies (tipo), aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos, diagnóstico, resistência múltipla aos antimicrobianos e reflexos em saúde pública de linhagens de Nocardia isoladas de bovinos e cães no Brasil foram discutidos. Foi destacada a similaridade entre as espécies de Nocardia isoladas de animais e do homem, e a primeira descrição no Brasil de N. otitidiscaviarum na etiologia da mastite bovina.

Ḥamiššā ḥumšê Tôrā : ʿim qeṣat pērûš Rašî ... we-gam hā-hafṭārôt ... we-5 megîllôt û-birkôt hat-Tôrā ...

[Jehuda Ben-Moses Naphtali]

Nocardia infection in renal transplant recipient: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations

In the present report the authors discuss the diagnostic difficulties, therapeutic measures and the clinical course of Nocardia infection which occurred among renal transplant recipients at the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (UH-FRP), from 1968 to 1991. Among 500 individuals submitted to renal transplant, 9 patients developed Nocardiosis at varying times after transplant (two months to over two years). All the patients had pulmonary involvement and their most common symptoms were fever, cough and pleural pain. Dissemination of the process is common and three patients presented cutaneous abscesses, four CNS involvement and one had pericarditis due to Nocardia. The diagnostic is quite difficult since there is no specific clinical picture, concomitant infections are frequent and the microorganism presents slow growth in culture (ranging from four to forty days, in our experience). In this report, three cases were only diagnosed by necropsy. The treatment of choice is a combination of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim (SMX-TMP). In the present series, overall mortality was 77% (7 cases) and in five of the patients who died the diagnosis was late. All the patients who had CNS involvement died.

Cutaneous Nocardia asteroides infection of nontraumatic origin

This paper reports a case of cutaneous infection of nontraumatic origin caused by Nocardia asteroides in a hospitalized patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Diagnosis was established by direct and histological examination, cultures from exudate and biopsy specimen. We discuss the classification of clinical forms of Nocardia infections affecting the skin.

DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN Nocardia spp. AND Mycobacterium spp.: CRITICAL ASPECTS FOR BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

New methodologies were developed for the identification of Nocardia but the initial diagnosis still requires a fast and accurate method, mainly due to the similarity to Mycobacterium, both clinical and bacteriologically. Growth on Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium, presence of acid-fast bacilli through Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and colony morphology can be confusing aspects between Nocardia and Mycobacterium. This study describes the occurrence of Nocardia spp. in a mycobacterial-reference laboratory, observing the main difficulties in differentiating Nocardia spp. from Mycobacterium spp., and correlating isolates with nocardiosis cases. Laboratory records for the period between 2008 and 2012 were analyzed, and the isolates identified as Nocardia sp. or as non-acid-fast filamentous bacilli were selected. Epidemiological and bacteriological data were analyzed as well. Thirty-three isolates identified as Nocardia sp. and 22 as non-acid-fast bacilli were selected for this study, and represented 0.12% of isolates during the study period. The presumptive identification was based on macroscopic and microscopic morphology, resistance to lysozyme and restriction profiles using the PRA-hsp65 method. Nocardia spp. can grow on media for mycobacteria isolation (LJ and BBL MGIT™) and microscopy and colony morphology are very similar to some mycobacteria species. Seventeen patients (54.8%) were reported and treated for tuberculosis, but presented signs and symptoms of nocardiosis. It was concluded that the occurrence of Nocardia sp. during the study period was 0.12%. Isolates with characteristics of filamentous bacilli, forming aerial hyphae, with colonies that may be pigmented, rough and without the BstEII digestion pattern in PRA-hsp65 method are suggestive of Nocardia spp. For a mycobacterial routine laboratory, a flow for the presumptive identification of Nocardia is essential, allowing the use of more accurate techniques for the correct identification, proper treatment and better quality of life for patients.

Determinación de la respuesta de anticuerpos contra fracciones lipídica, proteica y polisacárida de Nocardia brasiliensis en ratones BALB

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Inmunología) UANL

Obtención de anticuerpos monoclonales para buscar a la proteína inmunodominante de 24 kDa en la superficie de Nocardia brasiliensis

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Inmunología) UANL

Estudio de la reactividad de sueros de pacientes con micetoma contra la proteína inmunodominante de 24 kDa de Nocardia brasiliensis digerida con tripsina

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Inmunología) UANL

Distribución del fragmento katN de Nocardia brasiliensis en especies de actinomicetos patógenos

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Mocrobliología Médica) UANL.

Identificación de proteínas con actividad casinolítica en un extracto celular de Nocardia brasiliousis (por) Luz Isabel Pérez Rivera

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias, con especialidad en Inmunología) U.A.N.L.

Determinación in vitro del efecto de la combinación de amikacina y trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol sobre Nocardia brasiliensis

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Microbiología Médica) U.A.N.L.

Caracterización genética de una cepa atenuada de nocardia brasiliensis HUJEG-1.

Tesis (Maestría en Ciencias con Especialidad en Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Genética) UANL, 2012.