STREPTOCOCCUS-PNEUMONIAE, AN EMERGING PATHOGEN IN MYCOTIC-ANEURYSMS

Two patients are described with a mycotic aneurysm caused by Streptoco ccus pneumoniae infection. The patients presented with back pain and f ever, and had an antecedent history of lower respiratory tract infecti on; neither of them were suffering from endocarditis. Mycotic aneurysm s are a rare disorder with, over the years, a changing spectrum of pre sentation, localisation and bacterial aetiology. S. pneumoniae infecti on has only very rarely been reported as a cause of mycotic aneurysms. Since 1986, 14 patients with a mycotic aneurysm were treated at the L eiden University Hospital. Of these patients, 5 had mycotic aneurysms caused by S. pneumoniae infection. The mortality in these patients was high. In this communication, we would like to draw attention to S. pn eumoniae infections as an emerging cause of mycotic aneurysms. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science B.V.