Streptococcus constellatus Causing Empyema and Sepsis, Necessitating Early Surgical Decortication
Chrastek, D.; Hickman, S.; Sitaranjan, D.; Vokshi, I.; Kakisi, O.; Kadlec, J.; Bartosik, W.; Van Tornout, F.; Kouritas, V.
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases 2020: 4630809
2020
ISSN/ISBN: 2090-6625
PMID: 32733717
DOI: 10.1155/2020/4630809
Accession: 072580469
Streptococcus constellatus is an oropharyngeal commensal Gram-positive coccus, frequently associated with the respiratory tract. S. constellatus is part of the Streptococcus anginosus or milleri group, which has traditionally been considered to have propensity to cause empyema and purulent abscesses, a property that is sometimes overlooked as the severity of infections it causes may have a varying degree. In this case, we present the case of a 54-year-old male with known liver cirrhosis who developed a severe empyema during an acute liver failure episode, requiring extensive decortication and prolonged hospital admission.