Disseminated nocardiosis in a patient with nephrotic syndrome following HIV infection

In the present study, a case of disseminated abscesses caused by Nocardia in a patient undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for nephrotic syndrome and infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is described. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case to be reported. The patient had membranous nephropathy and received systemic corticosteroid therapy for one year. During this time, the patient was diagnosed with HIV and developed disseminated abscesses in the lungs, brain and hip. Pathogens isolated from sputum and pus were identified as Nocardia asteroides. The patient was successfully treated following surgical drainage of the abscesses and by oral administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.