PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE DUE TO STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE: A USUAL PATHOGEN AT AN UNUSUAL PLACE

We report three cases of pelvic infl ammatory disease (PID) due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in previously healthy young women. S. pneumoniae frequently causes bacteremia, meningitis and respiratory infections, but it very rarely infects the genital tract. All our patients presented with an acute onset of severe abdominal pain and had an intrauterine device (IUD) present. No abnormal sexual behavior was noticed. Although the relation between PID due to S. pneumoniae and the use of an IUD has been a topic for discussions, culture of IUD in all our patients and blood culture in 2 of 3 of our patients revealed S. pneumoniae. All patients recovered well with intravenous antibiotic treatment and removal of the IUD.