Non-staphylococcal pyomyositis

Pyomyositis caused by organisms other than Staphylococcus aureus is rare. The purposes of this study were to examine the clinical courses and outcomes of pyomyositis caused by different organisms and to propose a treatment modality for this disorder. From July 1985 to June 1994, 16 patients with pyomyositis were treated in our hospital. The clinical courses for these patients, including treatment modalities, bacteriological results and final outcomes, have been reviewed and compared. In our group of cases, patients with staphylococcal pyomyositis recovered completely. In patients with nonstaphylococcal origin, Klebsiella pyomyositis occurred in 2. One patient developed metastatic endophthalmitis and became completely blind; one with Salmonella pyomyositis needed above-knee amputation; and another with E. coli pyomyositis succumbed to overwhelming sepsis. In conclusion, non- staphylococcal pyomyositis is more life- or limb-threatening than staphylococcal pyomyositis. In treating nonstaphylococcal pyomyositis, early aggressive surgical debridement and specific antibiotics are therefore mandatory.