Unraveling a Unique Encounter of Fusobacterium nucleatum With Empyema: A Case Report and Review of Literature

We report a case of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) empyema in a 34-year-old male with no significant past medical history or obvious risk factors who presented with shortness of breath and chest pain. His imaging showed complicated parapneumonic effusion which grew F. nucleatum. He was started on piperacillin-tazobactam. The patient's clinical condition deteriorated despite initial therapeutic efforts, leading to escalated antibiotic therapy and further investigations. The patient's subsequent clinical course included pigtail catheter placement with drainage of fluid requiring tpa and dornase alpha, leading to significant improvement and eventual discharge on oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.