Haemophilia-associated Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotype O:1 septicaemia: the role of iron

Abstract

Septicaemia and septic arthritis due to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are rare diseases with high mortality rates. Reactive arthritis caused by Yersinia infection is a well-known complication but septic arthritis is found at a much lower frequency. It has already been established that there is a relationship between yersiniosis and iron but there are currently no data about yersiniosis and haematological disorders such as haemophilia. We report a case of septic arthritis due to Y. pseudotuberculosis as an early manifestation of Yersinia septicaemia in a patient with severe haemophilia A. The patient had no history of immunosuppression and presented with a repeat case of haemarthrosis with a fever of unknown origin. Furthermore, he suffered from acute-on-chronic renal failure and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Arthrocentesis and blood culture tested positive for Y. pseudotuberculosis. Iron deposits at localized sites in the synovium in patients with haemophilia have been described, and as Yersinia infections are common in patients with secondary iron overload, we felt that a review of the literature was in order. Severe Yersinia infection is often associated with iron overload, a condition that might occur as a side effect in the treatment of haemophilia. Iron overload, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of haemophilic arthropathy, may have increased the virulence of Y. pseudotuberculosis in the present case.