Primary Nocardia osteomyelitis as a presentation of AIDS

Human infection with Nocardia species presents as a wide range of clinical syndromes. Nocardia is an important opportunistic pathogen in immunocom-promised patients. We report a case of primary Nocardia asteroides osteomyelitis as the initial clinical presentation of AIDS. The infection was successfully treated with a prolonged course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in conjunction with HAART. Nocardia osteomyelitis should be recognized as an unusual but important and treatable opportunistic infection in patients living with HIV infection.