Septic arthritis in childhood

Abstract

We would like to emphasize that SA is mono-articular, frequently localized in the knee, hip and ankle in 85% of patients, joint fluid culture was positive in 55% of patients, bacteria was isolated from one or more cultures of blood, joint fluid, pus or bone in 70% of patients and the most common isolated micro-organism was S. aureus. In addition, it must be pointed out that children younger than 2 years of age with fever, a positive trauma history and/or abnormal joint findings should be carefully examined for SA because the rate of SA was lower (7.5%) than expected in this age group. We also found that the mortality of SA was not influenced by age, joint involvement and bacterial agents, and there was no significant difference in symptoms on admission, the history of trauma and antibiotic use, sex, age, fever, joint involvement,anemia, leukocytosis and micro-organisms isolated from joint fluid and blood between patients with SA