Complication of bacterial pneumonia: empyema and lung abscess

Abstract

Bacterial pneumonia is the inflammation of the lung parenchyma due to an infectious agent. This condition causes more illness and death than any other infection and constitutes a health problem affecting all countries; however, two-thirds of deaths from this cause occur in low-income countries. Empyema and lung abscess are among the most frequent complications, but these are more commonly attributed to immunocompromised patients. The clinical course of a complicated bacterial pneumonia in a 41-year-old white apparently healthy male patient, with no prior medical history who presented with fever, chest pain and a productive cough is described. In this case, a secondary lung abscess developed as a complication of pneumonia, but none of the aforementioned risk factors were present, nor were any diseases affecting the immune system detected during the diagnostic workup. This case demonstrates that complications can occur even in apparently healthy young patients.