RESUMO
Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBEM), a relatively rare complication of liver cirrhosis, is characterized by a bacterial infection of the transudative pleural fluid without obvious infection focus within the thoracic cavity. The analysis of pleural fluid shows characteristic 'infected transudate' with occasional identification of causative organism as in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The outcome is relatively favorable with early identification of the disease and subsequent proper an-tibiotic therapy alone. Closed horacotomy is not nece- ssary in most cases and may be even more hazardous. We report a case of SBEM in a 37-year old male patient with hepatitis B-virus associated liver cirrhosis, who recovered with antibiotic therapy alone.