Cavitary Pneumonia: A Complication of Antibiotic Noncompliance

Abstract EN

In this report, we present a complicated case of community-acquired pneumonia in a 5-year-old boy.

The patient first presented to the pulmonology clinic with the diagnosis of asthma and a recent history of recurrent pneumonia.

Poor compliance to two courses of outpatient oral antibiotics resulted in persistent pneumonia symptoms with unresolved radiographic findings warranting parenteral antibiotics.

Despite 2 symptom-free weeks, the patient returned to the emergency department with recurrence of symptoms where imaging revealed a cavitary lesion requiring a prolonged course of parenteral antibiotics.

This report further supports the detrimental impact of partially treated infections related to poor compliance to antibiotic regimens.