Isolated Septic Arthritis Due to Streptococcus bovis

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 24; no. 5; p. 1021
• Main Authors: Grant, Russell J., Shang, William Y., Whitehead, Terence R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.05.1997; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Aged; Arthritis; Arthritis, Infectious - diagnosis; Arthritis, Infectious - drug therapy; Arthritis, Infectious - microbiology; Bacteremia; Bacterial arthritis and osteitis; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Brief Reports; Diagnosis, Differential; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Knee Joint; Male; Medical sciences; Penicillins - therapeutic use; Streptococcal Infections - diagnosis; Streptococcal Infections - drug therapy; Streptococcal Infections - physiopathology; Streptococcus bovis; Streptococcus bovis - isolation & purification; Synovial fluid; Infection; Case study; Knee; Human; Streptococcaceae; Streptococcal infection; Bacteriosis; Lower limb; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Arthritis; Streptococcus bovis
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1093/clinids/24.5.1021

Streptococcus bovis is commonly present in the rumen of ruminant animals and in the feces of 10%-16% of immunocompetent humans. In humans, S. bovis has been identified as a causative agent for endocarditis, bacteremia, and meningitis. Most notably, reports have associated S. bovis infection with colonic malignancy. Isolation of S. bovis from synovial fluid is a rare finding. We report, to our knowledge, the second documented case of septic arthritis due to S. bovis. Since the patient was a dairy farmer, both a ruminal origin of infection and colonic malignancy were investigated.