M174-5

Blood: Nocardia species – Shipped February 13, 2018 – 

HISTORY

A simulated blood culture collected from a 92 year old female on steroid therapy with temporal arteritis was sent to category A laboratories.
Participants were expected to identify and report Nocardia species.

MAIN EDUCATIONAL POINTS from M174-5

1. Nocardia is a potential pathogen especially in immunocompromised hosts, and should be considered when gram positive bacilli with a beaded/branching appearance are visualized on Gram stain or grown.
2. Nocardia may be presumptively reported in such organisms if the modified acid-fast stain is positive, and the acid-fast stain is negative.

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