[Pubic osteomyelitis in athletes].
BACKGROUND
Pubic osteomyelitis has been described in three situations: children in whom Staphylococcus aureus is the preeminent pathogen; elderly patients who have undergone genitourinary procedures, and parenteral drug abusers. In contrast, pubic osteomyelitis in athletes has been described less often. We report three cases of acute staphylococcal pubic osteomyelitis in young athletic men and present a review of the literature.


METHODS
The clinical presentation in each case was acute groin, hip, or perineal pain; fever; inability to bear weight; and pubic symphysis tenderness. The diagnosis was established by blood culture and radiologic changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Staphylococcus aureus pubic osteomyelitis should be suspected in athletes who have febrile hip or groin pain. The pathogenesis of this disease is thought to involve preexisting trauma or athletic injury and subsequent seeding of this area during transient bacteremia. Prolonged antimicrobial therapy is required for the cure, and debridement with curettage may be necessary if patients have persistent infection or sequestra.
Sève
P
P
Service des maladies infectieuses, hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 69004 Lyon, France.
Boibieux
A
A
Pariset
C
C
Clouet
P L
PL
Bouhour
D
D
Tigaud
S
S
Biron
F
F
Chidiac
C
C
Peyramond
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications; D016470:Bacteremia; D003646:Debridement; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011630:Pubic Bone / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013177:Sports; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity