Nocardiosis Nocardia asteroides

• Facts:
  Present worldwide in the soil
  
  
• History / PE:
  Weight loss
  Fever
  Night sweats
• Diagnosis:
  Beaded, gram +, partially acid-fast filamentous branching rod
  Peripheral eosinophilia
• Treatment:
  Bactrim
  Minocycline (best oral alternative)
• Differential Diagnosis:
  Tuberculosis (non branching, no gram staining)
  Actinomyces (anaerobic, sulfur granules, sinus tracts)