Presented case report describes a bacteraemic bilateral pneumococcal pneumonia complicated by the development of acute respiratory failure and fluidothorax in a previously healthy 23 years old male. Invasive pneumococcal diseases represent often severe and complicated infections affecting especially infants, toddlers, seniors and patients with comorbidities.
Despite the established programme of fully reimbursed vaccination against pneumococcal diseases for high risk groups in the Czech Republic, the vaccine uptake rates are still low. However, in this case we have identified long-term professional exposure to metal fumes as significant contributing risk factors for the development of complicated invasive pneumococcal pneumonia.
The aim of presented case report is therefore to raise awareness among clinicians about neglected professional risk factors for the development of invasive pneumococcal disease.