Nocardia is differentiated from Actinomyces by ?: (A) Gram stain, (B) ZN stain, (C) Nocardia causes mycetoma, Actinomyces does not, (D) Nocardia is faculative anerobe
Answer is B. Ans. is 'b' i.e. Z.N. Stain Differences between Actinomyces and Nocardia Actinomyces Nocardia . Anaerobic or microaeroph i I ic . Non-acid fast . Strict aerobe . Acid fast (N. astroides and N. brasilensis) . Natural habitat mouth, . Natural habitat -- Soil intestine, vagina . Most infections are endogenous . Most infections are exogenous . Grows at 35 - 37degC . Can grow at wide range of temperature . Causes Actinomycosis . Causes Nocardiasis . Can occur with normal host . More common with deficient CMI immunity . T/t --> Penicillin . T/t ---> Sulfonamide . Nocardia is acid fast, can be differentiated from Actinomyces by Ziehl Neelsen (Z.N.) stain. . Both can cause actinomycetoma. . Both are gram positive so can not be differentiated by Gram stain.