Coincident Diagnosis of a Pulmonary Abscess and Ascaris lumbricoides Infection: a Possible Causal Connection?

Background

Pulmonary abscesses have become exceedingly rare in developed countries since the introduction of antibiotics. Aspiration, immunodeficiency, and hematogenous spread of pathogens are the main etiological causes of pulmonary abscesses in childhood. ([Table 1]) The main pathogens in primary abscesses are pneumococci, followed by Staphylococcus aureus.

Table 1 Predisposing factors and pathogens in children with pulmonary abscesses.

	predisposing factors	pathogens
Derived from Patradoon-Ho P, Paediatric Respiratory Reviews 2007; 8: 77–84
primary lung abscess	none	Staphylococcus aureus streptococcal species gram-negative bacilli
secondary lung abscess	recurrent aspiration  – neuromuscular diseases  – oesophageal motility problems or reflux  – impaired coordination of swallowing immunodeficiency  – congenital  – HIV  – chemotherapy  – immunsupression structural lung abnormity  – congenital cyst  – adenomatoid malformation  – bronchogenic cyst chronic lung disease  – primary ciliary dyskinesia  – cystic fibrosis hematogenous spreading  – endocarditis  – thrombemboli  – septicemia	Staphylococcus aureus streptococcal species Pseudomonas aeruginosa gram-negative bacilli bacteroides species fungi (Candida and Aspergillus)