Brain abscess due to Nocardia caviae. Report of a fatal outcome associated with abnormal phagocyte function.

Nocardia is an uncommon cause of human disease. We report a patient with a fatal brain abscess who had abnormal phagocyte function as measured by neutrophile chemotaxis, adherence, phagocytic function, and chemiluminescence in vitro and by Rebuck skin window in vivo. Antimicrobial agar dilution susceptibility suggested minocycline was more active than sulfamethoxazole.