Missed diagnosis of septic arthritis due to invasive pneumococcal disease

A 61-year-old woman with severe gout, chronic kidney disease, type II diabetes, and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction was admitted with acute onset bilateral hand swelling and pain following a trauma. She was managed for a severe gout flare, but her symptoms, leukocytosis, and inflammatory markers did not improve. Six days into the hospital course, she developed fevers. Blood cultures grew Streptococcus pneumoniae. Intravenous antibiotics were started, and the patient underwent multiple incision and debridements of the bilateral hands with improvement in symptoms and clinical status. Septic arthritis secondary to S. pneumoniae is uncommon. We highlight this case to recognize that septic arthritis should always be considered when a patient presents with a painful, erythematous joint. Pneumococcal vaccination reduces the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease, and should be prioritized for those at high risk for invasive disease and who are immunocompromised.