Non-tropical pyomyositis in adults: report of four cases and literature review.

Four cases of non-tropical pyomyositis in adults are presented and 72 cases reported in the literature are reviewed. The diagnosis is often overlooked or delayed because most physicians are not familiar with the entity. Local signs of inflammation fever, leukocytosis and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate are common features. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen and the thigh muscles are the most common site involved. Computerized tomography is used to establish the diagnosis and surgical incision and drainage in combination with antibiotic therapy is successful in the majority of the cases.