Streptococcus pyogenes group A

A frozen hemi-patellar ligament allograft was used in a 17-year old male for knee surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament. One day later the patient had pain, redness, fever and rigors. Six days later the allograft was removed and a fasciotomy of the thigh was needed. Group A Streptococcus pyogenes grew from the wound aspirate and excised tissues. Fevers persisted for seven days despite appropriate antibiotic therapy with the wound again growing S. pyogenes. He was again hospitalized later for another course of antibiotic therapy. The same microbe grew from each of the many tissues that were removed from the cadaveric donor and prior to processing and also grew from a stored donor blood sample.