Spontaneous community-acquired PVL-producing Staphylococcus aureus mediastinitis in an immunocompetent adult – a case report

BACKGROUND: Mediastinitis caused by hematogenous spread of an infection is rare. We report the first known case of community-acquired mediastinitis from hematogenous origin in an immunocompetent adult. This rare invasive infection was due to Panton-Valentine Leucocidin-producing (PVL+) methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old obese man without other medical history was hospitalized for febrile precordial chest pain. He reported a cutaneous back abscess 3 weeks before. CT-scan was consistent with mediastinitis and blood cultures grew for a PVL+ MSSA. Intravenous clindamycin (600 mg t.i.d) and cloxacillin (2 g q.i.d.), secondary changed for fosfomycin (4 g q.i.d.) because of a related toxidermia, was administered. Surgical drainage was performed and confirmed the presence of a mediastinal abscess associated with a fistula between the mediastinum and right pleural space. All local bacteriological samples also grew for PVL+ MSSA. In addition to clindamycin, intravenous fosfomycin was switched to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole after 4 weeks for a total of 10 weeks of antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: We present the first community-acquired mediastinitis of hematogenous origin with PVL+ MSSA. Clinical evolution was favorable after surgical drainage and 10 weeks of antibiotics. The specific virulence of MSSA PVL+ strains played presumably a key role in this rare invasive clinical presentation.