An uncommon cause of Staphylococcus aureus sepsis

Abstract

We describe a case of Staphylococcus aureus sepsis after acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Sepsis is a rare, but potentially fatal complication of acupuncture. The most common cause of bacterial infection after acupuncture is S. aureus. The effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of CFS is not proven, therefore the potential benefits should be weighed against the risks.

Keywords::

• Acupuncture
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• Staphylococcus aureus
• sepsis
• septic arthritis

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.