title: [Pleural empyema due to Gemella spp: report of 12 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gemella genus bacteria can produce localized or generalized severe infections, but very rarely they have been described as causing pulmonary infections or pleural empyemas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize patients with empyema caused by Gemella genus bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database of a Microbiology laboratory of a Spanish hospital was reviewed, searching for Gemella positive cultures of pleural effusions in a period of five years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 12 patients (11 males) with Gemella spp pleural empyema. Eight were infected with G. haemolysans and four with G. morbillorum. All patients had predisposing factors such as poor oral hygiene, smoking, chronic cardiovascular or respiratory disease, alcoholism or malignancies. In ten cases, a thoracic drainage tube was placed with fibrinolysis in seven. One patient needed surgery because of a relapse of the empyema. Two patients died because of an advanced neoplasm, and the empyema was resolved in the rest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gemella pleural empyema can occur and its isolation must not be seen as a contamination.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España. Miguel_a_a_a@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Aibar-Arregui
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Escalante-Yangüela
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garrido-Buenache
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Navarro-Aguilar
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montoya-Arenas
authors.forename: María Del Mar
authors.initials: Mdel M
authors.lastname: Rodero-Roldán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D058834:Gemella; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors