Fatal Pulmonary Nocardia farcinica Infection

Nocardia farcinica infections are rare and potentially life threatening. Identification is based on growth at 45°C, opacification of Middlebrook 7H10 agar, and resistance to antibiotics. We describe a case of fatal pulmonary N. farcinica infection in a patient with pneumoconiosis that was diagnosed by culture of sputum onto selective media.