Concurrent invasive disseminated Nocardia farcinica and Candida infections in a patient undergoing long-term glucocorticoid therapy for autoimmune thrombocytopenia: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Nocardia farcinica is a virulent organism known for its high resistance to many antibiotics and its ability to cause disseminated life-threatening infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients or those undergoing organ transplantation. Candida albicans can cause disseminated candidiasis with a mortality rate ranging from 30% to 60%. Cases involving concurrent disseminated N. farcinica and C. albicans, particularly in patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia, are extremely rare. The presence of two disseminated pathogens complicates both diagnosis and treatment, creating substantial challenges for healthcare providers.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 50-year-old woman who had a history of autoimmune thrombocytopenia and was being treated with prednisone (60 mg qd). She presented with a 40-day history of high-grade fevers (40℃), cough, headache, and multiple abscesses in the skin structure. N. farcinica was found in her skin structure, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood, and C. albicans was cultured in cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, and urine. She was diagnosed with disseminated nocardiosis and disseminated candidiasis. The patient received a prolonged course of multiple anti-bacterial and anti-fungal medications and eventually recovered.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the atypical clinical presentations, the diagnosis of concurrent invasive disseminated N. farcinica and C. albicans infections might be delayed. A variety of diagnostic testing, including metagenomics next-generation sequencing, can help to identify the pathogen rapidly. Drug susceptibility test can guide the selection and adjustment of antibiotics, which should be in companion with surgical interventions to save lives in affected patients.