Empyema causes

Empyema Microchapters
Patient Information
Overview
Classification Subdural empyema Pleural empyema
Differential Diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]

Overview

Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacteria found in empyemas before the development of antibiotics. More recently, however, anaerobes have become the predominant organism in culture positive empyemas (and therefore careful anaerobic cultures should always be sent when working up parapneumonic effusions). Mixed aerobic and anaerobic infections are also common. In general any bacteria can cause an empyema, however different bacteria are associated with different rates of empyema formation.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated. There are no life-threatening causes of empyema, however complications resulting from untreated empyema is common.

Common Causes

• Bacteroides
• Fusobacterium
• Haemophilus influenzae
• Pneumococcal infections
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Streptococcus
• Streptococcus pyogenes
• TB

Less common causes

• Actinomyces
• Proteus

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Purulent pericarditis
Chemical/Poisoning	Chemical pleurodesis, talc pleurodesis
Dental	No underlying causes
Dermatologic	Ulcer
Drug Side Effect	No underlying causes
Ear Nose Throat	Acute mastoiditis, sinusitis
Endocrine	Diabetes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	Cholecystitis, esophageal rupture, gallbladder empyema, liver abscess
Genetic	Chronic granulomatous disease
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	Lung transplantation, pneumonectomy
Infectious Disease	Actinomyces, acute mastoiditis, anaerobic infection, bacterial meningitis, bacteroides, brain abscess, bronchiectasis, candida, capnocytophaga, community-acquired pneumonia, echinococcus, entamoeba histolytica, fusobacterium, haemophilus influenzae, HIV, infection, klebsiella pneumoniae, Lemierre's syndrome, liver abscess, lung abscess, mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycoplasma hominis, mycoplasma, nocardia, nocardiosis, odontogenic infection, orbital cellulitis, pasteurella multocida, pneumonia, purulent pericarditis, rhodococcus equi, sinusitis, staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus anginosus, streptococcus pneumoniae infection, streptococcus pyogenes, streptococcus, subdural empyema, tularemia, typhoid fever, yersinia
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic	Ulcer
Neurologic	Bacterial meningitis, brain abscess
Nutritional/Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	Bronchogenic carcinoma, tumor
Ophthalmologic	Orbital cellulitis
Overdose/Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	Bronchiectasis, bronchogenic carcinoma, chemical pleurodesis, community-acquired pneumonia, lung abscess, lung transplantation, mycobacterium tuberculosis, pleural effusion, pneumonectomy, pneumonia, talc pleurodesis
Renal/Electrolyte	Nephrotic syndrome
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy	Chronic granulomatous disease, immunocompromised
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	No underlying causes
Urologic	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Fistula, foreign body, ulcer

Causes in Alphabetical Order

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