Case Report of a Solitary Brain Abscess due to Nocardia veterana in a Host Without Known Immunodeficiency.

Nocardiosis is a rare bacterial infection caused by a wide array of species of the genus Nocardia. These microbes are found ubiquitously in soil and cause infection mainly when immunocompromised hosts inhale these bacteria or from direct inoculation through breaks in the skin. Once infection is established, Nocardia spp. have a predilection to spread to the central nervous system, causing brain abscesses. Here, we present a rare case of a solitary Nocardia veterana brain abscess in a patient without known immunodeficiency who was successfully treated with an 8-week course of antibiotics. Overall, this case highlights an unusual bacterial pathogen in an atypical host successfully treated with a shorter course of antibiotics, an approach that may not be generalizable. It reinforces that opportunistic infections do occur in immunocompetent hosts, but clinical presentations may be obscured by limited symptoms and insidious courses.