Objective: Cases of septic arthritis in paediatric population by Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Health Area of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) were reviewed.
Methods: A retrospective study from January 2005 to March 2014 was conducted for all S. pneumoniae isolates obtained from joint fluids in children.
Results: From the 7,416 joint fluids received in the Microbiology Department, 77 belonged to paediatric patients, and of these, only 8 had positive culture. In total, there were three positive cases for S. pneumoniae, two with positive culture and a third with positive antigen detection. In the three patients (two of them under 15 months) the affected joint was hip, antibiotic treatment was combined with surgical drainage and evolution was favourable.
Conclusions: We conclude that pneumococcal arthritis is an entity that must be taken into account since most cases of arthritis in paediatric population appear as a complication of bacteraemia after a common cold or an ear infection. The greatest risk of sequel is associated with delays in diagnosis, so it is essential clinical and microbiological early diagnosis.