Pneumococcal arthritis and osteomyelitis in children.

Five children with pneumococcal bone and joint infections are described. Three of the children were less than one year of age and two had sickle cell disease. All but one had a primary or coincident focus of acute pneumococcal infection elsewhere. In the four children with septic arthritis, osteomyelitis was diagnosed subsequently in bones contiguous to the infected joint. All patients were successfully treated, although one developed permanent joint dysfunction. Although an unusual infection, pneumococcal infection of bones and joints should be sought in the appropriate clinical setting since such infection requires specific surgical therapy and may be associated with significant morbidity.