Case Report: septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint in a neonate

Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is rare and can lead to ankylosis and destruction of the joint. It is usually related to an obvious source of infection, and is often caused by the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Prompt treatment results in normal growth and development of the TMJ. In this case report we describe the presentation of a 5 week old neonate with septic arthritis of the knee and TMJ, thought to be related to an infected umbilicus.