Purulent pericarditis with tamponade in a postpartum patient due to group F streptococcus.

Bacterial pericarditis with cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening disorder that has been associated with a variety of organisms. There is usually an associated underlying condition or a seeding of the pericardium from an infection elsewhere. We report the development of cardiac tamponade and a subsequent pericardial constriction due to group F streptococcus purulent pericarditis. We believe this to be the first report of a postpartum patient with purulent pericarditis.