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Kingella kingae infections in children

Ehud Lebel1, Bernard Rudensky, Michael Karasik

  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheba, Israel.

Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics. Part B
|June 6, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Invasive Kingella kingae infections in children are common and typically mild. Early detection and antibiotic treatment, particularly with beta-lactams, lead to favorable outcomes, with surgery rarely needed for osteo-articular infections.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Kingella kingae, a beta-hemolytic gram-negative bacillus, has been recognized as a cause of pediatric osteo-articular infections since the 1980s.
  • Understanding the incidence and clinical characteristics of invasive K. kingae infections is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence, clinical presentation, and outcomes of invasive Kingella kingae infections in a pediatric population.
  • To evaluate the role of K. kingae in pediatric osteo-articular infections and bacteremia.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of pediatric cases of invasive K. kingae infection between 1997 and 2002.
  • Analysis of blood and synovial fluid cultures for K. kingae identification.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-four pediatric patients with K. kingae infection were identified.
  • K. kingae was found in 1.3% of positive blood cultures and 11.8% of positive synovial fluid cultures.
  • Fifteen patients had osteo-articular infections, and 9 had primary bacteremia; all cases had favorable outcomes with antibiotic treatment, and surgery was rarely required.

Conclusions:

  • Invasive K. kingae infection is a significant cause of pediatric infections, often presenting mildly.
  • Prompt inoculation of blood and joint fluid into blood culture bottles aids detection.
  • K. kingae is sensitive to beta-lactam antibiotics, leading to rapid recovery with appropriate treatment, minimizing the need for surgical intervention.

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