ABSTRACT
Introduction Pleural infection is an age-old problem which, through the ages, has claimed many lives including those of the famous physicians Guillaume Dupuytrens and Sir William Osler.1
It has been estimated that pleural sepsis affects over 65 000 patients each year in the UK and USA, with a mortality approximating 20%2 and a hospital cost of $500 million. As might perhaps be expected, the incidence of pleural infection is believed to be higher in developing countries.3,4
Furthermore, the incidence of empyema, at least in children, is rising.5,6 In adults, the prevalence of HIV, wider use of immunosuppressants, and organ transplantation have meant that pleural infection continues to be a common and significant clinical problem.
