Hansenula anomala (H. anomaly) is part of the normal flora in the alimentary tract and throat. It has been reported to be an organism causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. However, cases of fungal arthritis caused by H. anomala are rare. We encountered a case of H. anomala arthritis in a 70-year-old man who was treated with an empirical antibiotic treatment and surgery under the impression of septic arthritis. However, the patient did not improve after antibiotic therapy and surgery. Consequently, knee joint aspiration was performed again, which identified fungal arthritis caused by H. anomala. It was treated successfully with amphotericin B and fluconazole. When treating arthritis patients with diabetes, it is important to consider the possibility of septic arthritis by H. anomala and provide the appropriate treatment.
Aged ; Amphotericin B/therapeutic use ; Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Infectious/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Fluconazole/therapeutic use ; Humans ; *Knee Joint ; Male ; Mycoses/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; *Pichia

INTRODUCTIONKlebsiella pneumoniae septic arthritis and osteomyelitis, albeit uncommon in adults, are important sites of disseminated infection. Many case reports have shown K. pneumoniae as a cause of nosocomial transmitted septic arthritis in neonates and children. We report a rare case of an elderly patient with K. pneumoniae genitourinary infection spreading to the liver and other extra hepatic sites like the prostate and peripheral joint.

CLINICAL PICTUREThe patient presented with a short history of general malaise, fever and urinary symptoms, associated with an acute monoarthritis of the ankle. On admission, he was in septic shock. Investigations suggested an infective cause, as evidenced by raised total white cell count and pyuria. K. pneumoniae was cultured from both urine and ankle synovial fluid. Imaging confirmed multiple liver and prostatic abscesses, as well as osteomyelitis of the foot bones adjacent to the ankle.

TREATMENTTreatment in this case included surgical drainage of the affected joint and surrounding soft tissue structures, in addition to a 6-week course of systemic antibiotics.

OUTCOMEThe patient had good clinical response following treatment. In addition, we noted a normalisation of his laboratory parameters and resolution of the intraabdominal and pelvic abscesses.

CONCLUSIONThis case emphasises the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment in disseminated K. pneumoniae infection to prevent significant morbidity and mortality.

Aged ; Ankle Joint ; microbiology ; surgery ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Infectious ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drainage ; Foot Bones ; microbiology ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess ; microbiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; surgery ; Prostatic Diseases ; microbiology ; Synovial Fluid ; microbiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinary Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology