title: Mycobacterium chelonae empyema in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: Thoracic empyema caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) and complicated with bronchopleural fistula is rarely reported, especially in immunocompetent patients. A 53-year-old healthy woman presented initially with a productive cough and intermittent fever. The patient received a complete treatment course following an initial diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. After the anti-tuberculosis agents were discontinued, a right thoracic empyema with bronchopleural fistula occurred, and the pathogens from both pus and sputum were identified as Mycobacterium chelonae. Thoracotomy with decortication and wedge resection of the right middle lung was performed, followed by clarithromycin plus ciprofloxacin therapy for 36 months. This patient has not suffered a relapse in the last 3 years. In addition to the experience of successful treatment, this case indicates that RGM such as M. chelonae can emerge as causative pathogens of thoracic empyema, even in healthy persons.
authors.affiliation: Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Liang
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tun-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Hsu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016926:Mycobacterium chelonae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents