Nocardia asteroides bacteremia in an immunosuppressed renal-transplant patient

A patient with a polymicrobial bacteremia due to Nocardia asteroides and Escherichia coli is presented. Rapid overgrowth of all cultures with the E. coli necessitated the use of selective media containing antimicrobial agents to which the E. coli was sensitive. Only five previous cases of N. asteroides bacteremia have been reported.