Group CNeisseria meningitidisas a Cause of Septic Arthritis in a Native Shoulder Joint: A Case Report

Septic arthritis is an Orthopaedic emergency, threatening the joint within hours of onset. Up to 10% of cases of meningococcaemia have an associated septic arthritis. The aetiology of acute meningococcaemia in a variety of clinical syndromes is well documented in the literature. The pathogen Neisseria meningitidis can cause both primary and secondary manifestations of disseminated infection. Broad-range 16S rDNA PCR is a relatively new technique, useful in identifying aetiological agents in septic patients with negative blood cultures. Here, we describe the rare clinical scenario of a 76-year-old woman with primary meningococcal septic arthritis of a native shoulder joint without associated meningococcal bloodstream infection. We discuss the role of 16s rDNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the identification of the infectious agent, Neisseria meningitidis , and the role of this technique in guiding subsequent management.