Clinical
and Laboratory Features of the Nocardia spp.
Based
on Current Molecular Taxonomy
Barbara A. Brown-Elliott,1
June M. Brown,2 Patricia S. Conville,3
and Richard J. Wallace, Jr.1*
The University of Texas Health Center, Department of Microbiology,
11937 U.S. Highway 271,
Tyler, TX 75708.
Abstract
Although some, controversy exists concerning
the specific number of valid species of Nocardia,
the genus Nocardia currently contains more than 50
species that have been characterizedby phenotypic and molecular
methods (Tables 1 and 2) (56). However, not all of thesespecies
have been subjected to the same level of analysis. Further
work may reveal that a few of these species are not indeed
“valid.” Among the currently accepted species,
approximately half are recognized human and/or animal pathogens.
Manifestations of disease range from cutaneous infection caused
by traumatic inoculation of the organism in a normal host
to severe pulmonary or central nervous system (CNS) disease
in an immunocompromised host (9, 20, 22, 24, 61, 171, 204).
Keywords:Nocardia,genusNocardia,phenotypic,Nocardiaceae,Corynebacteriaceae,
Actinomycetales,16S rRNA gene,Mycobacterium,taxonomy.
Corresponding author: Tel
(903) 877-7685; Fax (903) 877-7652
E-mail: richard.wallace@uthct.edu |
