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Peer-reviewedCC BYCureus

Cardiac Tamponade Secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae-Associated Purulent Pericardial Effusion in an Immunocompetent Young Adult With Heavy Tobacco Exposure.

  • Priya Ramcharan1
  • Matthew Raghunanan2
  • Arun R Katwaroo3,4,5
  • Valmiki K Seecheran6
  • Rajeev V Seecheran7
  • Joel D Teelucksingh8
  • Ian Ramnarine2
  • Naveen A Seecheran1
8 affiliations
  1. 1Cardiology, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Champ Fleurs, TTO.
  2. 2Thoracic Surgery, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Champ Fleurs, TTO.
  3. 3Interventional Cardiology, Westshore Medical Complex, Port of Spain, TTO.
  4. 4Interventional Cardiology, Trinidad Institute of Medical Technology, St. Augustine, TTO.
  5. 5Internal Medicine, St. James Medical Complex, Port of Spain, TTO.
  6. 6Internal Medicine, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Champ Fleurs, TTO.
  7. 7Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA.
  8. 8Internal Medicine, San Fernando General Hospital, San Fernando, TTO.
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Abstract

We describe a case of a 41-year-old immunocompetent Caribbean South Asian man with a 25-pack-year smoking history who presented with cardiac tamponade secondary to a Streptococcus species-associated purulent pericardial effusion (PPE), with clinical and microbiological findings suggestive of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The patient underwent emergent pericardiocentesis with drainage of 600 mL of frank purulent fluid, followed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with pericardial window and washout. He progressed from obstructive to septic shock and was successfully managed with combined surgical drainage, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and adjunctive colchicine. The clinician should maintain a high index of suspicion for PPE as a cause of cardiac tamponade, even in the immunocompetent host, and consider invasive pneumococcal disease as a potential etiology in patients with heavy tobacco exposure.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{ramcharan2026cardiac,
  title = {{Cardiac Tamponade Secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae-Associated Purulent Pericardial Effusion in an Immunocompetent Young Adult With Heavy Tobacco Exposure.}},
  author = {Priya Ramcharan and Matthew Raghunanan and Arun R Katwaroo and Valmiki K Seecheran and Rajeev V Seecheran and Joel D Teelucksingh and Ian Ramnarine and Naveen A Seecheran},
  journal = {Cureus},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.7759/cureus.117607},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997695},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Cardiac Tamponade Secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae-Associated Purulent Pericardial Effusion in an Immunocompetent Young Adult With Heavy Tobacco Exposure.
AU  - Priya Ramcharan
AU  - Matthew Raghunanan
AU  - Arun R Katwaroo
AU  - Valmiki K Seecheran
AU  - Rajeev V Seecheran
AU  - Joel D Teelucksingh
AU  - Ian Ramnarine
AU  - Naveen A Seecheran
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
JO  - Cureus
DO  - 10.7759/cureus.117607
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997695
AB  - We describe a case of a 41-year-old immunocompetent Caribbean South Asian man with a 25-pack-year smoking history who presented with cardiac tamponade secondary to a Streptococcus species-associated purulent pericardial effusion (PPE), with clinical and microbiological findings suggestive of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The patient underwent emergent pericardiocentesis with drainage of 600 mL of frank purulent fluid, followed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with pericardial window and washout. He progressed from obstructive to septic shock and was successfully managed with combined surgical drainage, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and adjunctive colchicine. The clinician should maintain a high index of suspicion for PPE as a cause of cardiac tamponade, even in the immunocompetent host, and consider invasive pneumococcal disease as a potential etiology in patients with heavy tobacco exposure.
SN  - 2168-8184
ER  -