Case Report

Septic Arthritis Caused by Actinobacillus ureae in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-a Therapy

PRIMAL P. KAUR, CHRIS T. DERK, MELANIE CHATTERJI, and RAPHAEL J. DEHORATIUS

ABSTRACT.

Actinobacillus ureae, formerly known as Pasteurella ureae, is a rare human pathogen. We describe a case of septic arthritis and abscess formation caused by this unusual organism in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, who was being treated with tumor necrosis factor-a inhibitors. (J Rheumatol 2004;31:1663-5)

Key Indexing Terms:

SEPTIC ARTHRITIS
ACTINOBACILLUS UREAE
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
TUMOR NECROSIS ALPHA INHIBITORS

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From the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

P. Kaur, MD, Senior Clinical Fellow; C.T. Derk, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine; M. Chatterji, MD, Senior Clinical Fellow; R.J. DeHoratius, MD, Fellowship Program Director, Division of Rheumatology, Professor of Medicine.

Address reprint requests to Dr. P. Kaur, Division of Rheumatology, Thomas Jefferson University, 613 Curtis Bldg., 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. E-mail: primal.kaur@mail.tju.edu

Submitted December 5, 2003; revision accepted March 17, 2004.

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