Female genital infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae: case report and results of the french national epidemiological survey of pneumococcal infections.

Background - Pneumoccocci were sometimes isolated from female genital tract specimens, usually without any clinical signification. However few cases o f female pneumococcal genital infections were previously reported. Case report - We describe an additional report of salpingitis, occurring in a 35-years old female early after installation of an intra-uterine device. Discussion - Data collected by the National Reference Center for Pneumococc i show that 0.9% of the strains documented in the past five years (1992 to 1996) were isolated from the female genitals tract. Most of these infection s are caused by S. pneumoniae belonging to the serotypes 1 or 3. About 20% of the strains displayed a reduced sensitivity to penicillin. Although geni tal infections caused by S. pneumoniae and the neonatal colonisation with t he maternal strain are rare, their potential occurence should not be neglec ted. Thus, in order to limit the risks of such infections, an antibiotic tr eatment should immediately started following the detection of a pneumococca l genital carriage. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier S AS.