Invasive Group A streptococcal postpartum endometritis associated with multi-organ infarctions: an uncommon case presentation and literature review

ABSTRACT

Background: Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) is a serious condition that can arise from streptococcal postpartum endometritis. It is associated with a substantial increase in mortality rate and can rarely result in multiorgan infarction. Early recognition plays a vital role in patients’ outcome.

Objective: To report a case of complicated STSS and review the literature for previous case reports of streptococcal postpartum endometritis to determine if STSS diagnostic criteria (published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) were fulfilled.

Case presentation: This is a 41-year-old woman who presented 5 days after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery with endometritis complicated by invasive group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) infection and confirmed toxic shock syndrome. The patient was initially admitted to the critical care unit due to hemodynamic compromise requiring intravenous (IV) fluids, IV antibiotic therapy with penicillin and clindamycin, and IV immunoglobulin therapy. The patient subsequently developed multi-organ infarctions, acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring noninvasive respiratory support, and severe reactive arthritis. Literature review revealed 15 case reports of GAS postpartum endometritis, five met criteria for confirmed STSS. One patient died from severe septic shock leading to cardiopulmonary arrest. Thirteen out of 15 cases of postpartum endometritis occurred after uncomplicated vaginal delivery.

Conclusion: STSS is a serious and possibly fatal medical condition that requires early diagnosis and treatment to prevent poor patient outcomes and death. Careful consideration to the patient’s postpartum clinical presentation with the implementation of an intradisciplinary approach should be utilized.

KEYWORDS:

• Group A streptococcus
• endometritis
• toxic shock syndrome
• spleen infarction
• renal infarction

Declaration of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Funding

This work has not received any funding or grants.