Group B streptococcal arthritis in adults

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Rheumatology
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common cause of neonatal infections but is an uncommon cause of arthritis in adults.
• Adult GBS arthritis is often associated with specific risk factors, including diabetes mellitus and prosthetic joint infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of adult patients with Group B streptococcal arthritis.
• To review existing literature on GBS arthritis in adults and identify risk factors and prognostic indicators.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of seven adult patients with GBS arthritis.
• Review of 17 previously documented cases of GBS arthritis in adults.
• Analysis of clinical data including patient demographics, comorbidities, joint involvement, bacteremia, treatment, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Seven adult patients were identified with GBS arthritis over five years.
• Common risk factors included diabetes (3/7), prosthetic hips (3/7), and splenectomy (1/7).
• Fever and acute joint pain were the most frequent symptoms; most cases involved a single joint.

Conclusions:

• Group B streptococcal arthritis is a severe infection in adults, especially those with diabetes or late prosthetic hip infections.
• Outcomes are often poor for diabetic patients, with high mortality rates.
• Management involves parenteral antibiotics and joint drainage, with surgical intervention sometimes necessary for prosthetic joint infections.