Septic Arthritis is a joint infection by pathological bacteria or fungal infection.
Septic arthritis is an infection that produce inflammation in a native or prosthetic joint or more than one joint.
It can be acute or chronic.
The prompt diagnosis and treatment of infectious arthritis can help avoid considerable disease and deaths.
Septic arthritis forms when bacteria or other tiny disease-causing microorganisms extend through the blood to a joint.
It may also happen when the joint becomes directly infected with a microorganism from an injury or during surgical procedures.
Joints that are often involved are the knee and hip.
Most patients have acute septic arthritis that is caused by Staphylococcus or Streptococcus bacteria.
Chronic septic arthritis (which is less frequent) is produced by organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Candida albicans.
Septic arthritis may be present at any age.
In children, it happens most often in those younger than 3 years.
The hip is often the location of infection in infants.
The main causes of Septic Arthritis is
1. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (80%).
2. Streptococci Group A & B
3. Enterobacter species
4. Haemophilus influenzae
Predisposing disorders are:
1. Injury to the joint is the most frequent cause.
The joint injury normally occurs from local infection in the skin or environment.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent bacteria in Septic Arthritis occurring from bone injury and infection.
2. Diabetes mellitus in adults.
3. Previous joint damage - e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, gout, systemic connective tissue disorders.
4. Steroid therapy
These disorders raise the risk for septic arthritis:
1. Artificial joint implants
2. Bacterial infection somewhere else in the body
3. Presence of bacteria in the blood
4. Chronic illness or disease (such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and sickle cell disease)
5. Intravenous (IV) or injection drug use
6. Medicines that suppress the immune system
Symptoms:
There is a fever and joint swelling that is normally present in just one joint.
There is also severe joint pain, which becomes worse with movement.
The classic appearance is a single swollen joint with pain on active or passive movement.
Septic arthritis may manifest as poly-articular arthritis in a small percentage of patients.
Diagnosis is by:
Tests that may be done are:
1. Aspiration of joint fluid for cell count, examination of crystals under the microscope, gram stain, and culture
2. Blood culture, ESR and CRP
3. X-ray of affected joint
CT and MRI scanning are the most responsive methods for determining peri-articular abscesses, joint effusions and osteomyelitis.
Treatment requires surgical drainage and lavage of the joint and high-dose intravenous antibiotics.
Splinting or immobilization of the involved joint will stop movement of the joint.
The limb should be splinted in the situation of function (knees in extension, elbows at 90°, wrists in neutral to slight extension, hips in balanced suspension in neutral rotation).
Once the infection is under treated, immediate joint movement will allow healing of the articular cartilage and stop muscle contractures.
Surgical drainage may be needed in any infected joint which does not react to medical treatment.
Septic Arthritis may also require open surgical debridement to eliminate pus and injured bone tissues if infection does not react to antibiotics
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has assisted in the treatment of refractory Septic Arthritis.
Physiotherapy may be needed to restore joint range and muscles when the infection has cleared up.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Infected Joints (Septic Arthritis)
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Septicemia
Chapter 8 Bone Infection
Epilogue
Septic arthritis is an infection that produce inflammation in a native or prosthetic joint or more than one joint.
It can be acute or chronic.
The prompt diagnosis and treatment of infectious arthritis can help avoid considerable disease and deaths.
Septic arthritis forms when bacteria or other tiny disease-causing microorganisms extend through the blood to a joint.
It may also happen when the joint becomes directly infected with a microorganism from an injury or during surgical procedures.
Joints that are often involved are the knee and hip.
Most patients have acute septic arthritis that is caused by Staphylococcus or Streptococcus bacteria.
Chronic septic arthritis (which is less frequent) is produced by organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Candida albicans.
Septic arthritis may be present at any age.
In children, it happens most often in those younger than 3 years.
The hip is often the location of infection in infants.
The main causes of Septic Arthritis is
1. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (80%).
2. Streptococci Group A & B
3. Enterobacter species
4. Haemophilus influenzae
Predisposing disorders are:
1. Injury to the joint is the most frequent cause.
The joint injury normally occurs from local infection in the skin or environment.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent bacteria in Septic Arthritis occurring from bone injury and infection.
2. Diabetes mellitus in adults.
3. Previous joint damage - e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, gout, systemic connective tissue disorders.
4. Steroid therapy
These disorders raise the risk for septic arthritis:
1. Artificial joint implants
2. Bacterial infection somewhere else in the body
3. Presence of bacteria in the blood
4. Chronic illness or disease (such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and sickle cell disease)
5. Intravenous (IV) or injection drug use
6. Medicines that suppress the immune system
Symptoms:
There is a fever and joint swelling that is normally present in just one joint.
There is also severe joint pain, which becomes worse with movement.
The classic appearance is a single swollen joint with pain on active or passive movement.
Septic arthritis may manifest as poly-articular arthritis in a small percentage of patients.
Diagnosis is by:
Tests that may be done are:
1. Aspiration of joint fluid for cell count, examination of crystals under the microscope, gram stain, and culture
2. Blood culture, ESR and CRP
3. X-ray of affected joint
CT and MRI scanning are the most responsive methods for determining peri-articular abscesses, joint effusions and osteomyelitis.
Treatment requires surgical drainage and lavage of the joint and high-dose intravenous antibiotics.
Splinting or immobilization of the involved joint will stop movement of the joint.
The limb should be splinted in the situation of function (knees in extension, elbows at 90°, wrists in neutral to slight extension, hips in balanced suspension in neutral rotation).
Once the infection is under treated, immediate joint movement will allow healing of the articular cartilage and stop muscle contractures.
Surgical drainage may be needed in any infected joint which does not react to medical treatment.
Septic Arthritis may also require open surgical debridement to eliminate pus and injured bone tissues if infection does not react to antibiotics
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has assisted in the treatment of refractory Septic Arthritis.
Physiotherapy may be needed to restore joint range and muscles when the infection has cleared up.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Infected Joints (Septic Arthritis)
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Septicemia
Chapter 8 Bone Infection
Epilogue
