Acute Gonococcal Osteomyelitis and Arthritis of Hip: An Interesting Case and Review of Literature

Abstract

Gonorrhea is the most common sexually transmitted disease globally, affecting both men and women equally. It has a myriad of presentations which can vary from local disease to disseminated gonococcal infection. We are reporting the first case of gonococcal arthritis leading to acute osteomyelitis of the femoral head in a young adult with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease that occurred over a period of 2 weeks. Gonorrhea can affect joints and cause arthritis, and there have been case reports of untreated gonococcal arthritis leading to osteomyelitis after months. Here we report the first case of acute gonococcal spread to the bones causing osteomyelitis in a young adult. A high index of suspicion is needed to recognize this condition which if left unnoticed, can lead to erosive bone damage, and severe consequences.