[Chronic granulomatous disease and pulmonary nocardiosis]

A 19-years-old male was admitted for left bilobar pneumonia. All microbiologic studies in blood and in several samples obtained by bronchoscopy were negative. The patient worsened progressively despite antibiotherapy of a wide spectrum. A fine needle transparietal puncture was performed. The cultures of the sample were positive for Nocardia asteroides, a positive catalase germ. Immunologic studies initiated after this time showed negative tetrazolium nitroblue test, the results of which led to the diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease. This disease is very infrequent and the polymorphonuclear leukocytes are genetically incapable of producing peroxides whose absence impedes lysis of the positive phagocytic catalase germs with which a histologic reaction is produced in the form of granulomas from which the name of the disease is derived.