Onset of Berger disease after Staphylococcus aureus infection: septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract

Septic arthritis is rare in patients undergoing knee arthroscopic surgery. If the infection is due to Staphylococcus aureus, patients might experience fever, severe clinical syndromes, and extra-articular manifestations, including vasculitis and glomerulonephritis. We describe a case of onset of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (Berger disease) after S aureus septic arthritis complicating an anterior cruciate ligament surgical reconstruction. The patient had no previous history of renal disease, and renal function returned to normal after resolution of the knee infection. S aureus infection has been associated with several glomerular diseases, but this is the first report of the infection causing immunoglobulin A nephropathy. In addition, this is the first description of Berger disease after arthroscopic treatment, providing evidence that this disease might complicate the clinical course of orthopedic surgery.