Ocular Nocardiosis: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe the challenging diagnosis of ocular nocardiosis in a patient with anaplastic astrocytoma

Methods: A 56-year-old patient with recurrent cerebral anaplastic astrocytoma and a history of surgical resection, who underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, presented with a unilateral white subretinal mass at the posterior pole of his left eye. Vitrectomy and fine-needle biopsy of the vitreous as well as the subretinal mass were performed.

Results: Magnetic resonance imaging verified progression of the lesion’s size at follow-up. Histopathological workup of the material revealed gram-positive filamentous bacteria consistent with Nocardia cyriacigeorgica.

Conclusion: Endogenous Nocardia should be suspected in case of choroidal abscess in immunocompromised patients. Clinical diagnosis is challenging; therefore, early subretinal biopsy should be considered to facilitate treatment decision.

Keywords:

• Choroidal abscess
• endogenous dissemination
• immunosuppression
• ocular nocardiosis

Availability of data and materials

The principal investigator and all co-authors had full access to all of the data in the case report and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the analysis.

DECLARATION of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This case report was conducted in accordance with good clinical practices and CARE guidelines. The need for approval of the ethics committee of the Medical University Innsbruck was waived as the de-identified demographic and clinical data were analyzed retrospectively and the case report had no effect on the routine clinical care of the patient

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.