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Updated: May 10, 2026

Visualization of Streptococcus pneumoniae within Cardiac Microlesions and Subsequent Cardiac Remodeling
Published on: April 7, 2015
Purulent pericarditis with concurrent detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae and malignant squamous cells in
Kensuke Nakazawa1, Koji Kanemoto, Hiromichi Suzuki
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Japan.
Abstract:
Pneumococcal pericarditis complicated by a malignant effusion has not been reported previously. We experienced an independent 62-year-old man with lung cancer who was hospitalized for acute onset of atrial flutter and moderate pericardial effusion. He was afebrile; however, pericardiocentesis showed Streptococcus pneumoniae and malignant squamous cells in purulent pericardial fluid. This case shows that clinicians should keep in mind the possibility of afebrile bacterial pericarditis in cancer patients with pericardial effusions and that cultures of pericardial fluid should be performed in such patients along with cytological examinations.
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