Widespread nocardiosis in two patients with Behçet's disease

C. Korkmaz¹, A. Aydinli², N. Erol³, N. Yildirim³, Y. Akgün², R. Inci⁴, P. Boiron⁵

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, ²Department of Microbiology, ³Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey; ⁴Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey; 5University of Claude Bernard, Faculty of Pharmacology, Lyon, France.

ABSTRACT
Nocardia spp., a group of gram-positive variably acid-fast aerobic bacteria, are opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised hosts. We herewithin describe 2 cases of widespread nocardiosis in patients with Behçet's disease. In addition to endogen endophthalmitis in case 1, both cases developed lung, brain and skin involvement. Despite brain involvement, the prognosis was good, although vision was completely lost in case 1, which was directly attributable to a delay in both diagnosis and treatment.

Key words
Behçet's disease, opportunistic infections, nocardiosis.

Please address correspondence to:  Cengiz Korkmaz, Visnelik Mah,  Ali Fuat Güven Cad. Akasya Sok. 11/11, 26020 Eskisehir, Turkey. 
E-mail: ckorkmaz@ogu.edu.tr

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2001; 19: 459-462.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2001.