Empyema thoracis with concomitant bacteremia caused by nontuberculous mycobacterium is rare. Herein, we report a case of disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus in a patient with liver cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus. M. abscessus was isolated from the specimen of pleural fluid and blood. The patients clinical condition gradually improved after antibiotic use and drainage.

We report a fatal case of community-acquired empyema thoracis and candidemia caused by Candida albicans. The patient responded poorly to human recombinant activated protein C and intravenous fluconazole treatment and died of profound shock with multiple organ failure 8 days after admission.

Thoracic oesophageal perforation, a life-threatening condition, is a therapeutic challenge. A 20 year old male developed a lower oesophageal perforation following an abdominal cardiomyotomy for achalasia of the lower oesophagus. The resulting suppurative mediastinitis and left empyema thoracis were treated by decortication. The oesophageal perforation was closed using a transposition pedicle le...

We report a fatal case of Schizophyllum commune empyema thoracis with cross-reactive cryptococcal antigenemia. In vitro testing confirmed the ability of the fungus to cause a positive cryptococcal antigen latex agglutination system (CALAS) test result. Such a result may lead to delay in diagnosis and treatment, as most strains of S. commune are resistant to fluconazole.