64-year-old male with septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis

Abstract

Septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis is a rare disease. Typical clinical features include fever, pubic or groin pain, pain with hip motion, and painful or waddling gait. Identified predisposing factors to develop an infection in pubic joint include female incontinence surgery or postpartum period; sports, especially soccer; pelvic malignancy; and intravenous drug abuse. The most often identified microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Osteomyelitis complicates the majority of cases, and about half of the patients require surgical debridement along with a prolonged antibiotic treatment. We report a case of Streptococcus anginosus septic arthritis of the pubic symphysis. The patient did not have any of the above risk factors.