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Published on: April 7, 2015

Primary purulent pericarditis due to group C Streptococcus

R Scott McClure1, John J Burgess, Alex J Bayes

  • 1CSTAR-University Hospital, 339 Windermere Road, London, Ontario N6A 5A5, Canada. scott.mcclure@c-star.ca

The Canadian Journal of Cardiology
|December 23, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Purulent pericarditis is a rare but serious infection. This case highlights Streptococcus equi as a cause, requiring surgical intervention for recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Purulent pericarditis is an uncommon infection in the antibiotic era, often linked to high mortality rates.
  • Common causative agents include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, typically spreading from adjacent infections or through the bloodstream.

Observation:

  • A previously healthy individual presented with acute infectious pericarditis.
  • The specific causative organism was identified as Lancefield group C Streptococcus equi.

Findings:

  • Initial management with a pericardial window failed to resolve recurrent pericardial effusion.
  • Surgical pericardiectomy was ultimately required for the patient's slow but steady recovery.

Implications:

  • This case expands the known spectrum of pathogens causing purulent pericarditis.
  • It underscores the importance of considering less common organisms and aggressive surgical management in refractory cases.

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