Staphylococcal pyomyositis in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Pyomyositis is a rare disease, encountered mainly in tropical climates. The diagnosis of this entity is difficult, if not misdiagnosed, because of its rarity and its subacute presentation. We report of a 42-year-old man, in w hom pyomyositis developed while he was receiving the standard chemotherapy for T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Three months following splenectomy , multiple abscesses occurred in the muscles of both thighs while the patie nt was receiving the third course of the CHOP regimen. A purulent exudate w as aspirated from the abscesses under computed tomographic guidance. Coagul ase-positive Staphylococcus aureus was cultured in the aspirate. Pyomyositi s was completely resolved following the surgical drainage and the antistaph ylococcal antibiotic treatment. This patient has shown that immunosuppressi on due to splenectomy, NHL, and chemotherapy, especially when using steroid s, could be risk factors for pyomyositis in nontropical or semitropical cou ntries.