Fever and haemoptysis in an injecting drug user.

CASE REPORT A 46-yr-old injecting drug user was admitted with a history of repeated haemoptysis, pleuritic chest pain and fevers. He had a neutrophilia and elevated C-reactive protein. A pulmonary embolus was diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiography and he was treated with low molecular weight heparin. He received i.v. antibiotics (flucloxacillin, amoxicillin, gentamicin and metronidazole) for polymicrobial bacteraemia (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, viridans type Streptococcus) caused by a right groin abscess, which was subsequently incised and drained, and was associated with iliofemoral thrombosis. No valvular vegetation was seen on transthoracic or subsequent transoesophageal echocardiogram.