Acute phlegmonous jejunitis and viridans streptococcal peritonitis associated with bronchial carcinoma.

A 61-y-old man developed acute non-specific phlegmonous jejunitis associated with relatively mild diffuse peritonitis. Bacteriological cultures of the abundant peritoneal fluid resulted in only growth of viridans streptococci (Streptococcus mitis and S. salivarius). Antibiotic treatment had a favourable effect, but a hitherto unknown bronchial cancer led to his death 5 months later. It is assumed that this peculiar case was the result of the immunosuppressive effect related to the malignant neoplasm (opportunistic infection).