Systemic Spiroplasma turonicum Infection Manifested as Knee Arthritis, France, 2025.
Matteo Vassallo, Sabrina Manni, Eleonore Delannoy et al.
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Case in brief
An immunocompromised patient in southeast France presented with fever, knee arthritis, and skin erythema. Blood and joint samples tested positive for Spiroplasma turonicum, an intracellular gram-negative bacterium generally found in plants, insects, and ticks. The report identifies systemic infection with this organism as the explanation for the clinical presentation.
What made this case unusual
The organism is generally associated with plants, insects, and ticks, yet was detected in both blood and joint samples from a patient with fever and knee arthritis.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In an immunocompromised patient with fever and arthritis, consider S. turonicum infection when blood and joint samples are positive for the organism.