Antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia nova isolated from five cats with nocardiosis
Hirsh, D.C.; Jang, S.S.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 215(6): 815
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 10496134 Document Number: 501538
Five cats were admitted to the hospital because of chronic, non-healing lesions containing draining tracts between 1992 and 1997. Exudate from 2 cats contained microscopically visible granules. On the basis of cytological examination, lesions are described as pyogranulomatous. Degenerative neutrophils and activated macrophages, along with slender, branching, Gram-positive, partially acid-fast microorganisms were observed in stained smears of exudates obtained from all 5 affected cats. Nocardia nova was found in pure culture from all affected sites. Most isolates were susceptible to ampicillin, aminoglycosides (i.e. amikacin, kanamycin), tetracyclines (i.e. doxycycline, minocycline), macrolides (i.e. erythromycin, chlaritromicin), imipenem, sulfisoxazole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Other antimicrobials were less effective, and these included amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, the cephalosporins (i.e. cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, ceftriaxone) and some aminoglycosides (i.e. gentamicin, tobramycin) Four cats were successfully treated, 3 with a trimethoprim-sulfonamide combination and 1 with clarithromycin. The outcome of treatment of the fifth cat is unknown.