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]

Causes

Before the development of antibiotics, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bug found in empyemas. 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, and virtually any bug can cause an empyema, however different bugs are associated with different rates of empyema formation.