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Superficial skin infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in children

Nitza Newman1, Ron Dagan, Haim Reuveni

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Soroka University Medical Center and the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|October 13, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Superficial skin infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae are uncommon. This report details three cases in healthy children, with one strain showing full penicillin resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Dermatology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae, typically known for causing respiratory and invasive infections, is rarely implicated in superficial skin infections.
  • Superficial skin infections are common in pediatric populations, but specific etiological agents can vary.

Observation:

  • Three cases of superficial skin infections attributed to Streptococcus pneumoniae were observed in previously healthy children.
  • Lesions presented on facial skin in two children and on the scrotal raphe in one child.
  • Clinical presentation involved superficial skin manifestations rather than invasive disease.

Findings:

  • Microbiological analysis confirmed Streptococcus pneumoniae as the causative agent in all three cases.
  • One of the identified Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates exhibited full resistance to penicillin.
  • The infections were localized to the superficial layers of the skin.

Implications:

  • Highlights the potential for Streptococcus pneumoniae to cause rare superficial skin infections in children.
  • Underscores the importance of considering atypical presentations of pneumococcal infections.
  • The presence of penicillin-resistant strains necessitates careful antibiotic selection for treating these infections.

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