A rare case of staphylococcal cold abscess of anterior chest wall in an immunocompetent adult

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is an important causative organism for skin and soft tissue infection, which presents with the classical local signs of acute inflammation. Staphylococcal abscess without signs of inflammation (staphylococcal cold abscess) is a very rare entity, sometimes seen in immunocompromised host. Here, we report a case of a 50-year-old male patient who presented with bilateral asymptomatic cold abscess of staphylococcal origin over the anterior chest wall. The patient had no immunodeficiency and there was no distant/underlying source of staphylococcal infection. Smear and culture of pus proved the staphylococcal etiology and excluded tuberculosis, its close differential diagnosis. The patient was treated with antistaphylococcal antibiotics and local drainage of pus with complete recovery.