The authors present a 62-year-old male patient who had pulmonary nocardiosis with poor evolution. He also presented mental confusion, septic shock and a significant leukocytosis. Poor evolution happened even when sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim replaced by ceftriaxone + clindamycin as an antibiotic therapy were used. Diagnostic methods, epidemiology and therapy of this infection are discussed and revised. The authors emphasize the importance of an early diagnosis, isolation in culture, and antibiogram examination of Nocardia ssp samples for therapeutic adapting.

Keywords: Pneumonia. Nocardia.