The Pneumococcus in Infections Other than Pneumonia

Abstract

Many of us think of and search for the pneumococcus in pneumonic disease only, even though it has been known for many years that this specific organism can cause or complicate infection in parts of the body other than the lungs. Since Fränkel recognized the pneumococcus in 1886, this organism usually has been considered as the cause of severe disease processes. When thinking of the pneumococcus in apneumonic conditions, most of us associate it with such serious diseases as peritonitis and meningitis. On the contrary, in recent years it has been shown that many people are carriers of this organism, which is harbored as part of the bacterial flora, particularly in the upper respiratory tract and at certain seasons of the year, with no pathogenic effects. The advent of chemotherapy has renewed interest in the search for the pneumococcus in all its habitats. In pneumococcic infections other than pneumonia, chemotherapy has been of equal value in reducing mortality. As these infections are ordinarily more benign than pneumonia, however, the reduction in morbidity has been of even greater importance.

At the Cleveland Clinic in the past twenty-four months, one or more types of pneumococci have been bacteriologically demonstrated from 51 patients who were suffering from diseases other than pneumonia. The variety of sources of pneumococci and of conditions from which these patients were suffering, as well as their response to chemotherapy, when employed, has been enlightening. It is the purpose of this presentation to review the varying habitats and pathogenicity of. . .