Mehdi Fatahi Bafghi1, Parvin Heidarieh2, Tahereh Soori3, Sasan Saber4, Alipasha Meysamie5, Khavar Gheitoli6, Shadi Habibnia7, Masoumeh Rasouli Nasab7, Seyyed Saeed Eshraghi1. 1. PhD, Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. PhD, Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. 3. MD, Department of Infectious Diseases, Razi hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. MD, Department of Pulmonary Infection, Doctor Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. PhD, Department of Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 6. BSc, Department of Pulmonary Infection, Doctor Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 7. PhD student, Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The genus Nocardia is a cause of infection in the lungs, skin, brain, cerebrospinal fluid, eyes, joints and kidneys. Nocardia isolation from polymicrobial specimens is difficult due to its slow growth. Several methods have been reported for Nocardia isolation from clinical samples. In the current study, we used three methods: paraffin baiting technique, paraffin agar, and conventional media for Nocardia isolation from various clinical specimens from Iranian patients. METHODS: In this study, we examined 517 samples from various clinical specimens such as: sputum of patients with suspected tuberculosis, bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis, tracheal aspirate, cutaneous and subcutaneous abscesses, cerebrospinal fluid, dental abscess, mycetoma, wound, bone marrow biopsy, and gastric lavage. All collected specimens were cultured on carbon-free broth tubes (paraffin baiting technique), paraffin agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar, and Sabouraud dextrose agar with cycloheximide and were incubated at 35°C for one month. RESULTS: Seven Nocardia spp. were isolated with paraffin baiting technique, compared with 5 positive results with the paraffin agar technique and 3 positive results with Sabouraud dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide. The prevalence of nocardial infections in our specimens was 5.28%. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the use of the paraffin baiting technique appeared to be more effective than other methods for Nocardia isolation from various clinical specimens.
BACKGROUND: The genus Nocardia is a cause of infection in the lungs, skin, brain, cerebrospinal fluid, eyes, joints and kidneys. Nocardia isolation from polymicrobial specimens is difficult due to its slow growth. Several methods have been reported for Nocardia isolation from clinical samples. In the current study, we used three methods: paraffin baiting technique, paraffin agar, and conventional media for Nocardia isolation from various clinical specimens from Iranian patients. METHODS: In this study, we examined 517 samples from various clinical specimens such as: sputum of patients with suspected tuberculosis, bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis, tracheal aspirate, cutaneous and subcutaneous abscesses, cerebrospinal fluid, dental abscess, mycetoma, wound, bone marrow biopsy, and gastric lavage. All collected specimens were cultured on carbon-free broth tubes (paraffin baiting technique), paraffin agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar, and Sabouraud dextrose agar with cycloheximide and were incubated at 35°C for one month. RESULTS: Seven Nocardia spp. were isolated with paraffin baiting technique, compared with 5 positive results with the paraffin agar technique and 3 positive results with Sabouraud dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide. The prevalence of nocardial infections in our specimens was 5.28%. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the use of the paraffin baiting technique appeared to be more effective than other methods for Nocardia isolation from various clinical specimens.
Authors: Mohan P Patel; Vivek B Kute; Manoj R Gumber; Pankaj R Shah; Himanshu V Patel; K L Dhananjay; Siddharth H Jain; Hargovind L Trivedi; Aruna V Vanikar Journal: Int Urol Nephrol Date: 2012-01-04 Impact factor: 2.370