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Published on: April 7, 2015

Purulent pericarditis caused by group a streptococcus

Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh1, Meeta Prasad, José Moltedo

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.

Texas Heart Institute Journal
|January 12, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Purulent pericarditis is rare, usually caused by common bacteria. This study details an unusual case of purulent pericarditis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus), offering a literature review.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Purulent pericarditis is a rare but serious infection of the pericardium.
  • Common causative agents include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and anaerobic bacteria.
  • Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is an uncommon cause of purulent pericarditis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report an unusual case of purulent pericarditis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus).
  • To review the existing literature on purulent pericarditis, focusing on GAS as a causative agent.

Main Methods:

  • Case report presentation.
  • Comprehensive literature search on purulent pericarditis and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Main Results:

  • The patient presented with symptoms consistent with purulent pericarditis.
  • Cultures confirmed Streptococcus pyogenes (Lancefield group A Streptococcus) as the causative pathogen.
  • Literature review identified limited cases of GAS-induced purulent pericarditis.

Conclusions:

  • Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A Streptococcus) can be a rare cause of purulent pericarditis.
  • Prompt diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial for favorable outcomes.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the epidemiology and management of GAS-related purulent pericarditis.

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