Abstract
Bacterial and fungal joint infections in children are medical emergencies. Septic arthritis is more common in childhood and if diagnosis and treatment are delayed or inadequate, severe morbidity, irreversible joint damage, and even fatalities may result. In most cases, signs of joint inflammation develop several days after initiation of antibiotic therapy and the synovial fluid is sterile, suggesting an immune complex-mediated phenomenon. The etiology of pediatric septic arthritis is age-dependent: Staphylococcus aureus predominates in neonates and children older than 4 years, whereas Kingella kingae is the most common etiology in the 6 months to 4 years age group. Arthritis is the most common manifestation of tuberculosis of the skeletal system after Pott's disease. Children with K. kingae arthritis may present with low-grade fever and normal leukocyte counts, CRP levels, and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. Clinical improvement and decreasing CRP levels can be used to guide switching from parenteral to oral antibiotics.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Bone and Joint Infections |
Subtitle of host publication | From Microbiology to Diagnostics and Treatment |
Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell |
Pages | 55-75 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781118581742 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781118581773 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 30 Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- Bacterial joint infections
- CRP levels
- Fungal joint infections
- Kingella kingae
- Native joint arthritis
- Septic arthritis
- Staphylococcus aureus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Immunology and Microbiology