Bilateral pulmonary abscesses caused by Streptococcus pyogenes: diagnostic importance of fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

A patient with bilateral pulmonary abscesses caused by Streptococcus pyogenes is described. This bacterium is an uncommon cause of pneumonia. Metastatic foci of infection, e.g. abscess formation, may follow bacteremic spread of S. pyogenes. However, such complications are rare and the occurrence of bilateral pulmonary abscesses has not been described earlier. In the present case the diagnosis was established by fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchial washing.