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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar 10;14(3):e240763.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-240763.

Streptococcus pneumoniae purulent pericarditis secondary to influenza A infection and pneumococcal pneumonia in an immunocompetent woman

Elaine Houlihan  1 , Raymond McLoughlin  2 , Ruth Waldron  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Streptococcus pneumoniae purulent pericarditis secondary to influenza A infection and pneumococcal pneumonia in an immunocompetent woman

Elaine Houlihan et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 44-year-old previously well woman presented with features of respiratory sepsis including a productive cough and fevers, with a recent preceding influenza-like illness. She was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia on chest radiograph, influenza infection via nasopharyngeal swab and Streptococcus pneumoniae bloodstream infection with associated purulent pericarditis. She was managed with pericardial drainage and concurrent treatment with antibiotics and made an excellent recovery. This case highlights the complications of both influenza and S. pneumoniae infections, and the importance of prevention via vaccination.

Keywords: immunological products and vaccines; infectious diseases; pericardial disease; pneumonia (infectious disease); pneumonia (respiratory medicine).

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CTthorax: Extensive consolidation (c) in lower lung consistent with bilateral pneumonia. Enhancing pericardium (arrows) with large pericardial effusion (asterisk (*)) in keeping with pericarditis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chest X-ray: Persistent consolidation (block arrows) in the right midzone and left lower zone. Pericardial drain in place (thin arrows).
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) CT of thorax: Large pericardial effusion (asterisk (*)). Large left-sided loculated pleural effusion (e) with overlying consolidation in the left lower lobe (curved block arrow). Small right-sided pleural effusion, with patchy peribronchial consolidation (block arrows) involving the right middle and lower lobes. (B) CT of thorax: Image demonstrates pericardial drain in situ with the tip (arrow) sited postero-inferior to the left ventricle.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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