Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Deciphering and Imaging Pathogenesis and Cording of Mycobacterium abscessus in Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: September 9, 2015
Nocardia farcinica brain abscess: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and literature review
V Anil Kumar1, Deepthi Augustine, Dilip Panikar
11 Department of Microbiology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences , Kerala, India .
Background:
Infections caused by Nocardia farcinica are potentially lethal because of the organism's tendency to disseminate and resist antibiotics. Central nervous system involvement has been documented in 30% of infections caused N. farcinica.
Methods:
Case report and review of the literature.
Results:
A case of primary brain abscess caused by N. farcinica, identified by 16SrRNA sequencing, is presented, and 39 cases reported previously in the literature are reviewed. Our patient underwent a neuronavigation-guided right frontal craniotomy and was treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for 12 mo. He showed marginal improvement in his prior left hemiparesis at the last review 14 months later.
Conclusion:
Cases of N. farcinica infections are being reported increasingly because of recent changes in taxonomy and diagnostic methodology. This change in epidemiology has implications for therapy because of the organism's pathogenicity and natural resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents, including third-generation cephalosporins. Any delay in starting appropriate antibiotic therapy can have adverse consequences.
Related Concept Videos
Brain Abscess l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...

