Abstract
Gonorrhea is the most common sexually transmitted disease globally, affecting both
men and women equally. It has a myriad of presentations which can vary from local
disease to disseminated gonococcal infection. We are reporting the first case of gonococcal
arthritis leading to acute osteomyelitis of the femoral head in a young adult with
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease that occurred over a period of 2 weeks. Gonorrhea can
affect joints and cause arthritis, and there have been case reports of untreated gonococcal
arthritis leading to osteomyelitis after months. Here we report the first case of
acute gonococcal spread to the bones causing osteomyelitis in a young adult. A high
index of suspicion is needed to recognize this condition which if left unnoticed,
can lead to erosive bone damage, and severe consequences.
Keywords
septic osteomyelitis - gonococcal - hip
