Osteomyelitis and Septic Arthritis

  • Azadeh Lankarani-Fard
  • Paul Y. Liu
  • Meika A. Fang
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Infectious Disease book series (ID)

Abstract

Regardless of the route of infection, Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen implicated in osteomyelitis in the adult and elderly population.

Acute osteomyelitis usually responds to antimicrobials alone; however, the elderly typically present with chronic osteomyelitis, which often requires concomitant surgical management and long-term wound care.

Because of peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, and age-related changes in immune response, infections such as osteomyelitis and septic arthritis are more likely to have subtle or atypical symptoms and signs in the elderly as compared with other age groups.

Septic arthritis often presents as an acute monoarthritis and is a medical emergency that requires arthrocentesis for diagnosis and treatment.

Older adults are more likely to present with non-gonococcal infectious arthritis occurring as a result of hematogenous spread to a previously damaged joint.

Keywords

Septic Arthritis Pressure Ulcer Sinus Tract Prosthetic Joint Infection Chronic Osteomyelitis 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Azadeh Lankarani-Fard
    • 1
  • Paul Y. Liu
    • 1
  • Meika A. Fang
    • 1
  1. 1.Rheumatology Section 111JLos AngelesUSA

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