Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint caused by rare bacteria Raoultella ornithinolytica

Abstract Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an unusual disease in adults. Inoculation of the pathogen may occur through traumatic or iatrogenic injuries, or more often by haematogenous spread from a distant focus. The cause of infection is unknown in most cases. A case of ostensibly mild septic arthritis of the TMJ with a good response to antibiotic therapy and lavage, but that finally led to fatal destruction of the joint structures in a 38-year-old female patient, is reported herein. The infection was caused by Raoultella ornithinolytica – a rare bacterial species in humans, which has not been reported previously in any patients with joint problems. The arthritis manifested 5 weeks after an arthroscopy procedure, so the cause was not clear.