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
- 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.
- Nocardia may be presumptively reported in such organisms if the modified acid-fast stain is positive, and the acid-fast stain is negative.
