Empyema Due to Aeromonas hydrophila

The spectrum of human disease caused by Aeromonas species has broadened over the years to include gastroenteritis, cellulitis, meningitis, necrotizing myositis, bacteremia, soft-tissue infections, and peritonitis. Infections result from direct contact with contaminated water and soil as well as from direct contact with endogenous organisms, the gastrointestinal tract being the most common source. Although most infections in healthy hosts have been self-limited, those involving patients with underlying hematologic malignancies and hepatic disease have been more severe. Conn reported a case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and bacteremia due to Aeromonas liquefaciens in a patient with Laeennec's cirrhosis. To our knowledge, there have been no documented reports of empyema caused by Aeromonas species. We describe a patient with end-stage cirrhosis, aeromonas sepsis, and aeromonas empyema.