Table 3 Clinical data of the 17 patients with Nocardia infections as confirmed by the 16S rRNA gene sequencing
N. cyriacigeorgica (n = 4) | N. farcinica (n = 4) | N. testacea (n = 2) | N. flavorosea (n = 2) | N. nova (n = 1) | N. jinanensis (n = 1) | N. thailandica (n = 1) | N. carnea (n = 1) | N. brevicatena (n = 1) | Total N (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (yrs): | ||||||||||
• ≤ 35 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 (41.2) |
• ≥ 35 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 (58.8) |
Sex | ||||||||||
• Male | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 (47.1) | |
• Female | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 (52.9) |
Clinical symptoms | ||||||||||
• Chronic cough ≥2 weeks | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17 (100) |
• Haemoptysis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 (29.4) |
• Dyspnoea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 (58.8) |
• Night sweat | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 (64.7) |
• Fever | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 (82.4) |
• Fatigue | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 (58.8) |
• Weight loss | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 (41.2) |
Concurrent conditions | ||||||||||
• Smoking | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 (35.3) |
• TB- Coinfection | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 (11.8) |
• HIV- Coinfection | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (17.7) |
• Nocardia alone | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 (76.5) |
Smear Microscopy | ||||||||||
• AFB positive | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 (11.8) |
• AFB negative | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 (88.2) |
Treatment initiated | ||||||||||
• Anti-TB drugs | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 (11.8) |
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 (58.8) |
• Not treated | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 (29.4) |