DIAGNOSIS
It might be challenging to distinguish pulmonary nocardiosis from pneumonia or TB. Furthermore, primary cutaneous lung nocardiosis resembles several other, more prevalent skin illnesses.
To diagnose lung nocardiosis, your doctor will firstly examine your lungs through the stethoscope to listen for any crackles or sounds in your lungs that are not normal.
Then, your doctor may perform a test called bronchoaveolar lavage. In this test, they likely extract a tiny sample of tissue or fluid from the affected region for examination.
Other tests may include:
- MRI or CT scan in the chest area
- Sputum culture and stain
- Pleural fluid stain and culture
- Chest x-ray
TREATMENT
Treatment for lung nocardiosis will mainly focus on controlling the infection. Your doctor or healthcare provider may advise you to take certain antibiotics. Which antibiotics you should take or how long you’ll need to take them varies, depending on your infection’s progression and severity. Some cases may require taking antibiotics for a whole year.
If your pulmonary nocardiosis is a result of medications that weaken your immune system, you may be advised to stop taking them.
If the lung nocardiosis becomes worse, surgery may be required for the draining or the removal of the areas that are infected.
