Abstract: Objective To investigate and report a group of patients with cutaneous nocardiosis occurring in China.Methods The skin lesion of twenty-three patients were examined and the pathogen was identified.The possible cause of this disease was also investigated.Results All the twenty-three patients belong to a same village in a province.Skin lesions on buttocks manifested as nodules and abscesses whereas some other lesions as ulcers and draining sinuses,occurring 2-10mo nths after intramuscular injection.The pathogens were identified as Nocardia asteroides.Conclusion Twenty-three patients of cutaneous nocardiosis were related to intramu scular injection.

Key words: Nocardial infections, Nocardia asteroides