title: Spontaneous septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis in an afebrile patient.
abstract: Septic arthritis is a rare infection usually involving the knee or hip but can infrequently affect less obvious joints such as the pubic symphysis.Risk factors for septic arthritis include joint repair or replacement surgery, systemic infection, intravenous recreational drug use, and alcoholism.We present the case of a 48-year-old man with a final diagnosis of septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis who had no risk factors besides alcoholism. The presentation was unusual in that the patient was afebrile,and the infection seemed to be spontaneous. The infecting pathogen was identified as Streptococcus anginosus or S constellatus, both being normal intestinal flora. Infection by either bacterium is rare in septic arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Akron General Medical Center, Emergency Department.
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Akron General Medical Center, Emergency Medicine Research.
authors.forename: Mitch
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.affiliation: Akron General Medical Center, Emergency Medicine Research.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gair
mesh_terms: D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D034366:Streptococcus anginosus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D034365:Streptococcus constellatus / Q000302:isolation & purification*