Sporotrichoid pattern of cutaneous nocardiasis due to Nocardia asteroids.

Cutaneous nocardiosis is a rare disease, only a few cases of which have been reported from the world as well as in India. This infection, when in the lymphocutaneous form, may clinically resemble sporotrichosis, hence causing a diagnostic dilemma. Here, we report a case of primary cutaneous, sporotrichoid pattern of cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia asteroides in immunocompetent host. The patient was a 32-year-old farmer, with no predisposing factors, who presented with cutaneous nocardiosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by culture of the biopsy, after which the patient was treated successfully with antibacterial agents.