Table 2

 Causative organisms detected in 32 cases of paediatric empyema, taking into account culture and PCR results from our centre and the local hospital

Organisms32 samples processed by culture and PCRFinal diagnosis, incorporating microbiology from local hospital
Method of detectionNo. of patients% of cases
PCRCulture
*One positive culture from local hospital only.
†One case was culture positive only at our centre.
‡Only Streptococcus milleri group cultured.
Streptococcus pneumoniae 13114*44
Streptococcus pyogenes 31313
Staphylococcus aureus 23†39
Fusobacterium sp1013
Fusobacterium, Actinomyces, and Peptostreptococcus spp1013
Streptococcus milleri group, Peptostreptococcus sp (PCR only)11‡13
No bacterial cause detected1026825
Total323232100