Open AccessA false‐positive pneumococcal rapid urinary antigen test in Streptococcus intermedius infection
Author(s) -
Takahashi Saeko,
Ishitsuka Takahiro,
Namatame Kaoru,
Nakamura Morio
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
respirology case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 2051-3380
DOI - 10.1002/rcr2.466
Subject(s) - streptococcus intermedius , empyema , medicine , pleural effusion , urinary system , streptococcus anginosus , antigen , streptococcus pneumoniae , streptococcus , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , pathology , biology , antibiotics , bacteria , genetics
An 83‐year‐old woman was admitted with empyema. Pneumococcal rapid urinary antigen testing on admission showed a positive result, but culture of pleural effusion yielded only Streptococcus intermedius . S. intermedius is a member of the anginosus group and a component of the regular flora of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. As a human pathogen, this species has gained notoriety for abscess formation in the liver and brain but has also been reported recently as a major agent causing pulmonary abscesses or empyema, and the number of affected patients is increasing with the aging of society. We present the first case of a false‐positive pneumococcal rapid urinary antigen test in empyema caused by S. intermedius .