Clostridium difficile Causing Empyema

Abstract

Extraintestinal Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is extremely uncommon. High mortality and poor outcomes have been observed among individuals with this rare medical condition. Empyema is one of the extraintestinal manifestations of CDI. Possible mechanisms to develop this parapneumonic effusion are aspiration and contamination of the chest tube. We present a 42-year-old Hispanic male with C. difficile empyema without any prior history of CDI.