Pericarditis in a patient with Legionnaires' disease

Pericardial involvement with legionnaires' disease is rare. Pericarditis with legionnaires' pneumonia developed in a patient with previous mediastinal irradiation for Hodgkin's disease. Subsequently, the patient had progressive symptoms of pericardial constriction that required pericardiectomy. Acute infection with agents such as legionnaires' bacillus may precipitate the late appearance of pericardial disease in patients with previous mediastinal irradiation.