Large unilateral pleural effusion secondary to Moraxella catarrhalis infection

A 43-year-old male with chronic kidney disease onmaintenance hemodialysis presented with breathlessness,cough and right-sided abdominal pain. Examinationrevealed a large right-sided pleural effusion and subsequentthoracocentesis yielded an exudate. Although the fluidculture was sterile, sputum culture produced Moraxellacatarrhalis. Tuberculosis was ruled out by pleural fluidanalysis and pleural biopsy. Antibiotics were administeredand subsequent radiograms indicated resolution of theeffusion. This is a rare case of a large unilateral pleuraleffusion secondary to M. catarrhalis infection in a nonsmokerwith no pre-existing pulmonary pathology.