Liver abscess and empyema due to Lactococcus lactis cremoris

Abstract

Lactococcus lactis cremoris infections are very rare in humans. We experienced liver abscess and empyema due to L. lactis cremoris in an immunocompetent adult. A 42-yr-old man was admitted with fever and abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a liver abscess and chest CT showed loculated pleural effusion consistent with empyema. L. lactis cremoris was isolated from culture of the abscess material and blood. The patient was treated with pus drainage from liver abscess, video-assisted thoracoscopic decortications for empyema, and antibiotics including cefotaxime and levofloxacin. The patient was completely recovered with the treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a L. lactis cremoris infection in Korea.

Keywords: Empyema; Lactococcus lactis; Liver Abscess.

Fig. 1

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan images. (A) An abdominal CT scan showed a low attenuating lesion 3.4 cm in size on the superior subcapsular portion of liver segment 8, which was suggestive of liver abscess (arrow). (B) A chest CT scan showed pleural effusion and pleural thickening with enhancement on right side of lung with low density, which was suggestive of empyema and necrotizing pneumonia (arrow).