[Osteoarticular pneumococcal infections observed in a tertiary hospital over a period of 11 years].

INTRODUCTION

Osteoarticular pneumococcal infection is an infrequent complication of pneumococcal bacteremia, due to the advances in antibiotic therapy and in the pattern of immunization.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with osteoarticular pneumococcal infection between January 2003 and December 2013 in the University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla in Santander.

RESULTS

Five out of 321 patients diagnosed with pneumococcal bacteremia had osteoarticular infection. All of them had at least one chronic underlying disease and had been immunized according to the standard vaccination schedule. Hip and vertebra were the most common joints involved. Outcome was favorable in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical findings of pneumococcal osteoarticular infection should be borne in mind. Its optimal prevention in high-risk patients should include the 13V conjugate vaccine.