What are bone and joint infections?

What are bone and joint infections?

Bone and joint infections, also known as musculoskeletal infections, occur most commonly in toddlers and young children. They often occur in the bones and joints of the arms and legs. An infection of the bone is called osteomyelitis and septic arthritis refers to a joint infection.

What is it called when you have a bone infection?

Osteomyelitis is an inflammation or swelling of bone tissue that is usually the result of an infection. Bone infection may occur for many different reasons and can affect children or adults.

What causes bone infection after surgery?

Bone infection is most often caused by bacteria. But it can also be caused by fungi or other germs. When a person has osteomyelitis: Bacteria or other germs may spread to a bone from infected skin, muscles, or tendons next to the bone.

How does a joint get infected?

Septic arthritis can develop when an infection, such as a skin infection or urinary tract infection, spreads through your bloodstream to a joint. Less commonly, a puncture wound, drug injection, or surgery in or near a joint — including joint replacement surgery — can give the germs entry into the joint space.

How do you treat a joint infection?

Treatment usually includes a long course of intravenous (IV) antibiotics and surgery to remove infected tissue. In many cases, the artificial joint must be removed, at least temporarily. After a period of antibiotic treatment and once the infection is controlled, a new prosthesis may be placed.

What antibiotics treat bone infection?

Oral antibiotics that have been proved to be effective include clindamycin, rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and fluoroquinolones. Clindamycin is given orally after initial intravenous (IV) treatment for 1-2 weeks and has excellent bioavailability.

Can a bone infection be cured?

Antibiotics may be all that’s necessary to cure your bone infection. Your doctor may administer the antibiotics intravenously, or directly into your veins, if the infection is severe. You may need to take the antibiotics for up to six weeks. Sometimes bone infections require surgery.

What kind of infection causes joint pain?

Septic arthritis is also known as infectious arthritis, and is usually caused by bacteria. It can also be caused by a virus or fungus. The condition is an inflammation of a joint that’s caused by infection. Typically, septic arthritis affects one large joint in the body, such as the knee or hip.

Can bones get infected?

Osteomyelitis is an infection in a bone. Infections can reach a bone by traveling through the bloodstream or spreading from nearby tissue. Infections can also begin in the bone itself if an injury exposes the bone to germs.

What antibiotics treat joint infections?

Overall, most antibiotics, including amoxicillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, cloxacillin, cephalosporins, carbapenems, aztreonam, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, doxycycline, vancomycin, linezolid, daptomycin, clindamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin, rifampin, dalbavancin, and oritavancin, showed good …