Postpartum Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infection: Case Report and Mini-review

Cureus. 2018 Aug 22;10(8):e3184. doi: 10.7759/cureus.3184.

Abstract

The overall incidence of postpartum invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease is low in the United States. However, postpartum women are much more likely to develop GAS disease than nonpregnant women. Additionally, postpartum GAS has the potential to develop into a severe disease and a delay in diagnosis can have deadly consequences. This case describes a patient with invasive postpartum endometritis in the setting of diastases of the pubic symphysis. Sepsis secondary to the endometritis develops along with bilateral pneumonia. This case characterizes some of the typical and atypical symptoms a patient with invasive postpartum GAS can present with. Further, it outlines the timely identification of the disease and its appropriate treatment to prevent a potentially disastrous outcome.

Keywords: group a strep; group a streptococcus; invasive gas disease; invasive gas infection; invasive group a strep; postpartum endometritis; postpartum gas; postpartum gas infection; postpartum group a streptococcus; streptococcus pyogenes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports