title: [Pneumococcal septic arthritis in a Spanish university hospital (1993- 2003)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cases of pneumococcal septic arthritis treated in the Fundación Jiménez Díaz (Madrid, Spain) were reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective record review was conducted for all patients presenting with pneumococcal septic arthritis between January 1993 and August 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients out of a total of 267 reviewed had a clinical and microbiological diagnosis of septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The most frequent locations were the knee, ankle and tarsus. Three of the four patients had underlying diseases and one patient died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pneumococcal septic arthritis, a very rare clinical entity diagnosed by clinical and microbiological findings, should be suspected in patients with underlying disease. Early antibiotic therapy focussed on the most common microorganisms causing septic arthritis is necessary for optimal outcome.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología Médica, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, Madrid, Spain. lucibellita@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barahona
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández-Robles
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Granizo
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: López-Durán
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000382:microbiology; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain