Abstract

Nocardia, aerobic members of the order of Actinomycetaceae, produces infections in human lung. Nocardial infection is associated with underlying diseases of immuno-suppression or treatment with corticosteroid. It is difficult to detect Nocardia by sputum examination or histologic sections and it has rarely been diagnosed by fine needle aspiration of the lung. We describe a case of pulmonary nocardiosis in a 72 year-old man. diagnosed by fine needle aspiration, which was confirmed by culture of aspirates. The aspirates showed neutrophil-predominant inflammatory cells with microoganisms demonstrated by Gomori methenamine silver and Gram stain. The organisms had characteristic long branching filamentous strucutres. The lesions on chest x-ray were in resolution with antimicrobial therapy.

• Keywords: Nocardia;Lung;Fine needle aspiration cytology