PNEUMOCOCCAL ARTHRITIS AFTER ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

We report a case of pneumococcal arthritis occurring in a 15-year-old boy following allogeneic BMT. The post-transplant course was complicat ed by GVHD requiring prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. He experienc ed recurrent infections, including pneumococcal pneumonia. Thirty-five months after BMT and 12 months after the pneumococcal pneumonia, pneu mococcal arthritis of the left knee occurred. This is the first report ed case of arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae after allogene ic BMT. Penicillin prophylaxis may be used to prevent recurrence of pn eumococcal infections in patients with chronic GVHD.