Total knee arthroplasty infection due to Gemella haemolysans

Gemella haemolysans, a relatively unknown commensal of the upper respiratory tract, rarely causes clinically important infections. This report deals with an infection of a total knee arthroplasty due to Gemella haemolysans in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. The microbiology of this bacterium is discussed and the clinical features of previously reported cases of Gemella infections are briefly reviewed. KEY WORDS: Gemella haemolysans, Rheumatoid arthritis, Prosthesis. GEMELLA HAEMOLYSANS is a microorganism which until recently was considered to be a harmless com-mensal of the upper respiratory tract. In the last dec-ade, however, reports of patients with septicaemia, endocarditis and meningitis due to Gemella haemoly-sans have appeared in the literature, indicating the clinical relevance of this microorganism [1—7]. This case report describes the first patient with an infected total knee arthroplasty due to Gemella haemolysans. CASE REPOR