Sickle-Cell Disease and Bacterial Bone-and-Joint Infection

To the Editor: Among 289 infants and children with septic arthritis treated on our service during the 19-year period from 1955 through 1973 there were four patients with sickle-cell disease. The infection was due to pneumococci in two, to a beta-hemolytic streptococcus (not grouped) in one and to Streptococcus viridans in the remaining patient. During the 15-year period from 1959 through 1973 there were 163 cases of osteomyelitis on the Pediatrics Service, including six patients with sickle-cell disease. Two had salmonella infection, two Enterobacter aerogenes, one Escherichia coli, and one Group A streptococcus. There was no case of. . . No extract is available for articles shorter than 400 words.