Primary peritonitis by Streptococcus pyogenes. A condition as rare as it is aggressive

Abstract

We report the case of a 60-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency room for abdominal pain standing with impaired general status, fever of up to 38.7ºC, and somnolence. Upon arrival the patient had a heart rate of 115 bpm, hypotension (80/40 mmHg),acute respiratory distress, and both hepatic and renal failure. During her examination the patient was drowsy and had a diffusely tender abdomen with peritoneal irritation signs. Blood tests revealed 22,000 WBCs (82%N), CRP 32.4 mg/dL, total bilirubin 3.2 mg/dL, GOT 300 U/L, GPT 160 U/L, LDH 200 U/L, AP 310 U/L, 91,000 platelets, creatinine2.3 mg/dL, and PA 64%. An abdominal CT scan was performed, which revealed a minimal amount of free intraperitoneal fluid with no other findings. Given the patient's poor status an exploratory laparoscopy was carried out, which found a moderate amount of diffuse purulent exudate, particularly in interloop and lesser pelvis areas, with no additional findings. Following surgery she was transferred to the intensive care unit on wide spectrum antibiotics .Peritoneal exudate cultures from the surgical procedure revealed Streptococcus pyogenes. The patient had a favorable outcome being subsequently discharged from hospital at day 10 after the procedure. S. pyogenesis a beta hemolytic streptococcus well known as a cause of pharyngotonsillar, skin and soft tissues infection. Primary peritonitis by S.pyogenesis a rare condition with only a few isolated cases reported. PP cases by S.pyogenes predominantly involve previously healthy young women. PP diagnosis is usually retrospective, when other causes have been ruled out by surgery and culture is positive post hoc. An appropriate differential diagnosis from conditions such as gram-negative shock, staphylococcal toxic shock, meningococcal disease, viral infection, etc., is crucial. Abdominal CT may be helpful but a variable amount of free intraperitoneal fluid is usually the only finding. The surgical approach is usually laparoscopy in experienced sites. Attentive monitoring at an intensive care unit and adequate antibiotic therapy are key in association with surgery. There is no clear consensus on the antibiotics to be used for severe infection with S.pyogenes; empirical amoxicillin-clavulanic is usually the initial choice, followed after microbiological confirmation by clindamycin and a third-generation cephalosporin.