Suppurative Arthritis
Age determines the most likely organism in suppurative arthritis: *H. influenzae* (<2 yrs) → *S. aureus* (adults) → gonococcus (young adults)
Suppurative (Bacterial) Arthritis
- Route: Mainly hematogenous. In neonates, may spread from adjacent epiphyseal osteomyelitis.
- Complement deficiency (C5–C9) → susceptibility to disseminated gonococcal infection
- Other risk factors: immunodeficiency, joint trauma, chronic arthritis, IV drug use
- Clinical features: Sudden, acutely painful, swollen joint with restricted range of motion. Fever, leukocytosis, elevated ESR. Diagnosis: joint aspiration with purulent fluid and organism identification. Treatment: prompt antimicrobials to p
- Gonococcal arthritis: Often subacute, single joint, mainly in women. Axial involvement more common in drug users.
Read this in Bone & Joint Pathology: Basic Structure, Cells, and Fractures — Notes
SUPPURATIVE (BACTERIAL) ARTHRITIS
- Acute bacterial joint infection — almost always haematogenous in adults.
Read this in Infectious Arthritis: Bacterial, TB & Viral Joint Infections — Notes
What our notes say
- Age determines the most likely organism in suppurative arthritis: *H. influenzae* (<2 yrs) → *S. aureus* (adults) → gonococcus (young adults) (Infectious Arthritis: Bacterial, TB & Viral Joint Infections — Notes)
- Bacteraemic dissemination can cause metastatic abscesses, endocarditis, meningitis, and suppurative arthritis. (Lung Pathology — Must-Know — Notes)