Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Matthias Josef Herrmann
Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Elianne Kassi
Devision of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Aljaz Hojski
Clinic of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Michael Tamm
Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Kathleen Jahn
Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Correspondence to: Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Cell Research, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland.
We report the case of a man with intense cough for several months and a few days of severe dyspnea. A massive pleural empyema due to Actinomyces meyeri was diagnosed by radiological, microbiological and thoracoscopic means. Pleural infections caused by this anaerobic bacterium are very rare and should be considered when risk factors like male gender, chronic alcohol abuse, and poor oral hygiene are present. Penicillin-based antibiotic treatment and surgical decortication led to recovery.
