Occult pneumococcal septicemia and pneumococcal pneumonia complicating pneumatoceles in a previously healthy child.

Fulminating pneumococcal septicemia without an obvious focus of infection is very rare in previously immunocompetent children older than two years. Furthermore, pneumatocele formation in pneumococcal pneumonia is uncommon. The majority of pneumatoceles are self-limited and disappear spontaneously. Here, we report a six-year-old healthy child with occult pneumococcal septicemia and pneumococcal pneumonia secondary to septicemia. Giant pneumatoceles causing respiratory insufficiency formed secondary to the pneumococcal pneumonia and were aspirated via needle under fluoroscopic guidance.