[Infectious osteoarthritis due to Propionibacterium acnes. Two new cases].
BACKGROUND
Propionibacterium acnes is an anaerobic germ, usually found as a saprophyte of the skin and the mucosa. It may be responsible for iatrogenic or spontaneous osteoarhritis.


METHODS
We report two new cases of septic arthritis induced by P. acnes: a case of iatrogenic spondylodiscitis and a case of spontaneous septic arthritis of the lumbar facet joints. The two patients were immunocompetent, without acne.


CONCLUSIONS
Except for patients with criteria of the SAPHO syndrome (synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteomyelitis), osteoarthritis caused by P. acnes is increasingly described. The number of these infections is probably underestimated because of the technical problems involved in isolating P. acnes in the laboratory.
Hustache-Mathieu
L
L
Service de rhumatologie, hôpital Jean-Minjoz, CHU, Besançon, France.
Brousse
A
A
Lohse
A
A
Michel
F
F
Toussirot
E
E
Dupond
J L
JL
Wendling
D
D
D020083:Acquired Hyperostosis Syndrome; D000328:Adult; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes