Surgical Wound Infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae After a Cat-Scratch Disease

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is mostly known as an agent of meningitis and pneumonia. We present what is believed to be a previously unreported case of pneumococcal disease, involving an inguinal wound. A 10-year-old male patient underwent surgical removal of a cat-scratch disease-related enlarged groin lymph node; infection of the wound was soon observed, with multidrug-resistant S pneumoniae growing from the lesion discharge. This communication expands the spectrum of skin ulcer–infecting pathogens; in fact, although pneumococcus has been known to mostly affect central nervous system and airways, we observed a surgical wound infection by this organism.