Nocardia infection: symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition of nocardial infection

Nocardiosis or infection Nocardia is an infection caused by bacteria from a group Nocardia. These bacteria come from soil and water.

This bacterial infection can attack the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), lungs, or skin. Infection Nocardia is a serious illness and can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Nocardiasis is a condition that often affects people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer sufferers. Those with weak immune systems will have a hard time fighting off infections.

Symptoms of Nocardia infection

The symptoms of nocardiosis that appear usually depend on the infected organ. Here's the explanation:

Lungs

Infection Nocardia most common in the lungs. Most cases of nocardiosis start as a pulmonary infection that progresses to a lung abscess.

In these conditions, you may experience symptoms similar to those of pneumonia and tuberculosis, such as:

• Pain in the chest when breathing in (occurs suddenly or slowly)
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Fatigue
• Cough

Brain

When it occurs in the lungs, the infection can spread to the brain. The infection can spread through the bloodstream and cause abscesses in the brain. This is a very serious condition.

If the central nervous system is infected with Nocardia, you may experience symptoms, such as:

• Fever
• Headache
• Dazed
• Seizures

Skin

Other than that, Nocardia it can also infect the skin from open wounds. Quoted from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, infections that occur in the skin occur in about one-third of all cases of nocardiosis.

Activities such as gardening without wearing gloves can cause your hands to hurt and become infected. Usually, the infection is found scattered all over the hands, chest and buttocks.

In patients with a weak immune system, such as HIV patients, the progression of the disease can be very rapid.

If you have an infection Nocardia on the skin, you may experience:

• Injuries to the skin
• Lumps appear on the skin, with the infection spreading along the lymph nodes
• The skin becomes reddish

There may be other signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have any questions, please discuss them with your doctor.

Call your doctor or go to the hospital immediately if symptoms don't go away or get worse. Everyone's body condition is different. Always consult your doctor to find the best diagnosis, treatment and treatment for you.

Causes and risk factors for Nocardia

The cause of nocardiosis is a bacterial infection Nocardia found in the environment, such as standing water, rotting plants, and soil. Nocardia referred to as opportunistic pathogens, i.e. bacteria that infect humans and animals if conditions are right.

Infection Nocardia usually occurs when:

• Inhalation of dust that contains bacteria
• Soil or water that carries bacteria into the skin through cuts or scrapes
• Patients who were admitted to the hospital were infected from medical equipment contaminated with bacteria through surgical wounds

Risk factors

People with weakened immune systems are most at risk of developing this condition. Several diseases and conditions can cause a decrease in endurance.

Some of the conditions that increase your risk of developing nocardiosis are:

• Using high doses of steroids over a long period of time
• Bone marrow or organ transplant
• Connective tissue disorders
• Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (a disease that causes the air sacs of the lungs to become blocked)
• Cancer
• HIV / AIDS
• Diabetes
• Alcoholic

In addition, quoted from the site of the United States center for disease control and prevention, the CDC, men have a greater risk of infection Nocardia than women.

Diagnosis of Nocardia infection

The doctor will diagnose the disease based on a medical history and body examination. Depending on the area infected, the doctor will also take a tissue sample for examination.

Tests to diagnose this condition may include:

• Lung biopsy (or other part of the lower airways)
• Mucus from the lower airways
• Skin biopsy
• Brain tissue biopsy

Treatment of Nocardia infection

Similar to other bacterial infections, it is a bacterial treatment for infections Nocardia is to take antibiotics . The length of treatment will vary, ranging from a few months to a year or more, depending on the infected organ.

Medications your doctor may recommend to treat your condition are:

• Sulfonamide
• Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
• Imipenem and cilastatin
• Meropenem
• Cefotaxime
• Cefriaxone
• Ampicillin
• Minocycline
• Amikacin

In addition, your doctor will likely perform an operation to remove any pus in the lymph nodes or nodes that are pus. Without treatment, this condition can be fatal and life threatening to you.

Complications of nocardiosis

Complications that may occur if nocardiosis is not treated promptly are:

• Lung infection can cause scarring and long-term (chronic) shortness of breath
• Skin infections can cause scarring or damage
• Brain abscess can cause dysfunction

Home remedies for Nocardia infection

Lifestyle and medications that can relieve symptoms of infection Nocardia is:

• Perform regular re-examination to monitor the progress of the disease and your health.
• Take the medicine according to the doctor's prescription. Do not carelessly use drugs or ignore prescriptions that are intended for you. Take the medicine according to the recommended dosage. The infection can recur at any time if treatment is not complete.
• Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of infection or other complications.

Prevention

There is no specific way to prevent this infection. However, the methods below might lower your risk of developing nocardiasis:

• Use shoes and gloves when working in an open environment to prevent open cuts and scrapes
• People who have had organ transplants may be given antibiotics to prevent infection Nocardia

If you have any questions, consult with your doctor to find the best solution for you.