Spontaneous bacterial empyema caused by Aeromonas veronii biotype sobria

Spontaneous bacterial empyema is a complication of hepatic hydrothorax in c irrhotic patients. The pathogen, clinical course and treatment strategy are different to the empyema secondary to pneumonia. A 54-year-old man, who wa s a cirrhotic patient with hepatic hydrothorax, was admitted to National Ta iwan University Hospital for fever, dyspnea and right side pleuritic pain. The image study revealed massive right pleural effusion and no evidence of pneumonia. The culture of pleural effusion yielded Aeromonas veronii biotyp e sobria. The diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial empyema caused by Aeromona s veronii biotype sobria was established. To our best knowledge, Aeromonas veronii biotype sobria had never been reported in English literature as the causative pathogen of spontaneous bacterial empyema. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence Inc. All rights reserved.