Parvimonas micra: A rare cause of native joint septic arthritis

Anaerobe. 2016 Jun:39:26-7. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2016.02.004. Epub 2016 Feb 18.

Abstract

Parvimonas micra is a fastidious, anaerobic, gram positive coccus, which is found in normal human oral and gastrointestinal flora. It has also been known as Peptostreptococcus micros and Micromonas micros with its most recent re-classification in 2006. It has been described in association with hematogenous seeding of prosthetic joints [1,2]. Several cases of discitis and osteomyelitis have been described in association with dental procedures and periodontal disease often with a subacute presentation. However, cases of native joint septic arthritis are limited [3-5]. Per our literature review, there is one case of native knee septic arthritis described in 1999, with a prolonged time to diagnosis and treatment due to difficulty culturing P. micra. The previously reported patient experienced significant joint destruction and morbidity [6]. Advances in culture techniques and new methods of organism identification including MALDI-TOF and 16s rRNA sequencing have lead to increased identification of this organism, which may be a more frequent bone and joint pathogen than previously realized.

Keywords: Knee; Micromonas; Native; Osteomyelitis; Parvimonas; Peptostreptococcus; Septic joint.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Ampicillin / therapeutic use
  • Anaerobiosis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Infectious / diagnosis*
  • Arthritis, Infectious / drug therapy
  • Arthritis, Infectious / microbiology
  • Arthritis, Infectious / surgery
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Clindamycin / therapeutic use
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / surgery
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / microbiology*
  • Knee Joint / pathology
  • Male
  • Peptostreptococcus / chemistry
  • Peptostreptococcus / classification
  • Peptostreptococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Sulbactam / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Clindamycin
  • sultamicillin
  • Ampicillin
  • Sulbactam