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Background: Immunosuppressed patients occasionally suffer from a multifocal infection with Nocardia. It is important to distinguish Nocardia farcinica from Nocardia asteroides, because of different sensitivity against antibiotics., Patient and Methods: A 40-year-old patient with polycystic renal disease successfully underwent a kidney transplantation without complications. Immunosuppression consisted of: corticosteroids, azathioprin and ciclosporin A. Ten weeks later he developed acute choroiditis with consecutive retinal detachment and neovascular glaucoma in one eye. In addition, 14 weeks after transplantation CT scans revealed multiple cerebral abscesses., Results: In the course of the disease Nocardia farcinica (N. f.) was identified by cerebral stereotactic biopsy of a cerebral lesion, histological examination of the enucleated globe and sputum culture. Histologically filamentous, eosinophilic organisms were found. Microbiology identified aerobic actinomycetes in cultures and Nocardia farcinica by PCR. Therapeutically the combination of vancomycin, ampicillin, and sulbactam was successful., Conclusion: In immunosuppressed patients Nocardia farcinica can become life-threatening. One of the first manifestations may be a choroiditis. Infection of the respiratory tract followed by hematogenous spread is the common way of systemic nocardiosis. Biopsy followed by identification of species by PCR is recommended because of the specific therapeutic strategies associated with each species.

Background and Objective: Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are primary necrotizing ANCA associated systemic vasculitides with preferential involvement of small and medium-sized vessels. It was the aim of this study to evaluate retrospectively data regarding diagnostic and clinical features collected over a long period on patients with WG and MPA at one medical centre. Additionally, the question was addressed whether both diseases are being more frequently diagnosed since the introduction of serological tests for ANCA., Patients and Methods: The files of all patients with WG (n = 48) and MPA (n = 6) seen between 1976 and 1997 by our nephrology team were evaluated with respect to clinical presentation (signs and symptoms, outcome, complications) and relevant laboratory data (e.g. blood count, ESR, renal function, CRP, ANCA)., Results: Five of 48 patients with WG (24 males, 24 females, 22-67 and 18-77 years) had been diagnosed with the disease in the first 10 years before and 43 after ANCA serology became available. All MPA cases (6 males) had been diagnosed after 1992 and showed renal involvement. The pattern of organ involvement in this cohort with WG was the same as that recorded in the literature. Laboratory tests revealed raised ESR in 85%, anemia in 79%, ANCAs in 91% and increased CRP in 73%. A localized form of WG had been present in 15% of patients, the generalized in 85%. Treatment of the generalized form largely followed the Fauci scheme, achieving remission in 97%. After one year of immunosuppressive treatment 93% of patients with WG were still alive, 74% after 5 years., Conclusion: This is the first report in Central Europe to have analysed data on patients with WG and MPA, followed up for 20 years at one centre. There were no significant differences in the pattern of organ involvement, results of treatment and prognosis from previously published multicenter studies. Our data demonstrate that the diagnosis of WG has been more frequently made since the introduction of immunological tests for ANCA.