Lactobacillus Empyema in a Patient With Schizophrenia

Abstract

Lactobacillus species are anaerobic gram-positive rods that are part of the normal human flora as well as commercially available probiotic formulations. Although their pathogenicity in the normal host has been the subject of debate, lactobacilli have been associated with serious infections in immunosuppressed patients and those with predisposing risk factors. We report a case of a patient with a history of schizophrenia who presented with an empyema, cultures of which identified Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus as the causative organisms. To our knowledge, this is the first case of Lactobacillus parapneumonic pleural space infection reported from the Western Hemisphere.