Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2015 Jun;32(1):35-37. 10.12701/yujm.2015.32.1.35.

Empyema caused by Clostridium perfringens

• Park HS
• Jung CM
• Choi JW
• Hong Y
• Kim WJ

• KMID: 2138641
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2015.32.1.35

Abstract

Pleuropulmonary diseases caused by Clostridial species infections are rare, but have a mortality rate of up to 30%. Furthermore, older people are at greater risk of developing invasive clostridium infections, and the majority of reported cases of clostridium empyema have been attributed to iatrogenic trauma or aspiration. The authors report a case of spontaneous empyema caused by Clostridium perfringens. A 72-year-old woman was admitted to Kangwon National University Hospital for empyema. The patient had no history of trauma, a dental procedure, or aspiration, and was treated using empirical antibiotics and by drainage of pleural fluid. Bacteria species that cause empyema are usually not detected, but on the 4th day of admission, C. perfringens was isolated from the pleural space. The patient was continuously treated with antibiotics for C. perfringens and drainage, and was discharged 25 days after admission with almost a fully recovered status. Increased awareness of Clostrium species infection in the elderly is needed to ensure appropriate treatment.

Keyword

Empyema; Clostridium perfringens

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacteria
Clostridium
Clostridium Infections
Clostridium perfringens*
Drainage
Empyema*
Female
Gangwon-do
Humans
Mortality
Anti-Bacterial Agents