[Pleural empyema due to group-A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus].

: We present the case of a parenteral drug addict with pleural overflow (empyema), in which hemolytic Streptococcus group A was isolated. The absence of an early diagnosis and an effective empirical treatment caused the development of septic shock and the patient died in spite of the therapeutical measures implanted in the emergency unit.