title: Feline pyothorax - new insights into an old problem: part 1. Aetiopathogenesis and diagnostic investigation.
abstract: Feline pyothorax is a life-threatening emergency commonly encountered by the small animal clinician. Historically, thoracic wall penetration from a bite wound has been postulated to be a major route of infection. New information has challenged this dogma and indicated that aspiration of oropharyngeal flora is the usual route of infection of the pleural space in cats. A role for unusual pathogens, including gastrointestinal flora and fungal agents, has been identified in some cases, particularly in kittens. In the first of a two-part review, the clinical findings in feline pyothorax are discussed with a focus on an improved understanding of the aetiopathogenesis of the disease and subsequent implications for diagnostic investigation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia. vbarrs@vetsci.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Vanessa R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Barrs
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*