Purulent pericarditis caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae

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Yevgeniy Latyshev1, Aswin Mathew1, Jeffrey M Jacobson1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Divisions of Cardiovascular Diseases (Drs. Latyshev, Mathew, and Sturm) and Infectious Diseases (Dr. Jacobson), Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102.

Texas Heart Institute Journal
|January 7, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Purulent pericarditis is rare but can be caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae. This case highlights the importance of considering this pathogen in patients with pericardial tamponade, leading to successful antibiotic treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Bacterial pericarditis is uncommon in the antibiotic era.
  • Common causes include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae.
  • An increasing trend of Haemophilus parainfluenzae infections, including rare endocarditis cases, has been noted.

Observation:

  • A 62-year-old woman presented with symptoms of pericardial tamponade following an upper respiratory tract infection.
  • Initial pericardiocentesis provided temporary hemodynamic stability.
  • Recurrent pericardial tamponade necessitated a pericardial window creation within 24 hours.

Findings:

  • Cultures of pericardial fluid identified Haemophilus parainfluenzae as the causative agent.
  • The patient received Levofloxacin therapy.
  • The patient recovered following appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Implications:

  • Haemophilus parainfluenzae should be considered in the differential diagnosis of purulent pericarditis.
  • Prompt diagnosis and targeted antibiotic therapy are crucial for patient survival.
  • This case represents the first reported instance of purulent pericarditis caused by H. parainfluenzae.
Keywords:
Endocarditis, bacterial/diagnosis/microbiology/pathologyhaemophilus infections/diagnosis/drug therapyhaemophilus parainfluenzaehaemophilus/isolation & purificationpericarditis/complications/diagnosis/etiology/microbiology/therapysuppuration/diagnosistreatment outcome

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