Antimicrobial agents played a miraculous role in the treatment of bacterial infections until resistant bacteria became widespread. Besides antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, many factors can influence the cure of infection. Nocardia infection may be a good example which is difficult to cure with antimicrobial agents alone. A 66-year-old man developed soft tissue infection of the right buttock and thigh. He was given prednisolone and azathioprine for pachymeningitis 3 months prior to admission. Despite surgical and antimicrobial treatment (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim), the infection spread to the femur and osteomyelitis developed. The case showed that treatment of bacterial infection is not always as successful as was once thought because recent isolates of bacteria are more often resistant to various antimicrobial agents, intracellular parasites are difficult to eliminate even with the active drug in vitro, and infections in some sites such as bone are refractory to treatment especially when the patient is in a compromised state. In conclusion, for the treatment of infections, clinicians need to rely on laboratory tests more than before and have to consider the influence of various host factors.
Aged ; Case Report ; Drug Resistance, Microbial/physiology ; Dura Mater/microbiology* ; Fatal Outcome ; Femur/radiography ; Human ; Male ; Meningitis/microbiology* ; Nocardia Infections/physiopathology ; Nocardia Infections/drug therapy* ; Osteomyelitis/radionuclide imaging ; Osteomyelitis/radiography ; Osteomyelitis/microbiology*

A previously healthy, 54-year-old woman presented with Mycobacterium chelonae soft tissue infection and osteomyelitis of her left lower leg. The infection had started from soft tissue emerging at the medial aspect of the distal femur and had spread through the bone because of delayed diagnosis. The largely indolent, 8-month course to diagnosis was attributable to unremarkable clinical manifestations combined with a low index of suspicion such as immunocompetent patient and/or inadequate finding of acid-fast bacilli in a lesion smear, characteristic histopathological features, and culture techniques. Soft tissue infection and osteomyelitis were successfully treated without surgical intervention and with a 6-month course of chemotherapy.
Female ; Human ; Knee Joint/microbiology/radiography ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium Infections, Atypical/complications/*radiography ; *Mycobacterium chelonae ; Osteomyelitis/*microbiology/radiography ; Soft Tissue Infections/*microbiology/radiography

OBJECTIVEIn order to sum up the experience of diagnosis and treatment, the clinical information, diagnostic approach and treatment strategies from 23 patients with hematogenous pyogenic discitis and vertebral osteomyelitis (PDVO) in adults were reviewed.

METHODSA retrospective record review was conducted of all cases of hematogenous PDVO from July 1999 to October 2006, the diagnostic approach and the treatment strategies were discussed.

RESULTSThe average age was 55.4 years. The average delayed diagnosis time was 4.4 months (range, 4 weeks to 11 months). Of these, 17 had underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, liver cirrhosis, rheumatic disease, and the use of corticosteroids. All percent had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-reactive proteins, while white blood cell counts were less reliably elevated. Imaging studies included radiographs and MRI. Seven patients were treated with immobilization and intravenous antibiotic drugs. Because of a delay in diagnosis, 16 patients underwent operative treatment for hematogenous PDVO using staged anterior debridement and Bone grafting with iliac crest or rib strut, anterior spinal instrumentation in 3 patients, posterior instrumentation was placed in 7 patients at a second procedure 10 days to 2 weeks following initial operation. Twenty-three patients were followed-up for an average period of 27 months, with a minimum of 6 months and the longest for 7 years. The patients return to their preoperative everyday activity. No patient had a recurrence of osteomyelitis. All their symptoms improved after surgery, bony fusion occurred in 87.5% of cases.

CONCLUSIONSAdult hematogenous PDVO is a disease that affects mainly older patients suffering underlying medical illnesses. Positive blood cultures is valuable for the diagnosis. Hematogenous PDVO may require surgery in case of a development of biomechanical instability and/or a vertebral collapse with progressive deformity. In experienced hands, surgical debridement, interbody fusion, and anterior or posterior instrumentation is a safe and effective treatment.

Adult ; Aged ; Discitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONKlebsiella pneumoniae septic arthritis and osteomyelitis, albeit uncommon in adults, are important sites of disseminated infection. Many case reports have shown K. pneumoniae as a cause of nosocomial transmitted septic arthritis in neonates and children. We report a rare case of an elderly patient with K. pneumoniae genitourinary infection spreading to the liver and other extra hepatic sites like the prostate and peripheral joint.

CLINICAL PICTUREThe patient presented with a short history of general malaise, fever and urinary symptoms, associated with an acute monoarthritis of the ankle. On admission, he was in septic shock. Investigations suggested an infective cause, as evidenced by raised total white cell count and pyuria. K. pneumoniae was cultured from both urine and ankle synovial fluid. Imaging confirmed multiple liver and prostatic abscesses, as well as osteomyelitis of the foot bones adjacent to the ankle.

TREATMENTTreatment in this case included surgical drainage of the affected joint and surrounding soft tissue structures, in addition to a 6-week course of systemic antibiotics.

OUTCOMEThe patient had good clinical response following treatment. In addition, we noted a normalisation of his laboratory parameters and resolution of the intraabdominal and pelvic abscesses.

CONCLUSIONThis case emphasises the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment in disseminated K. pneumoniae infection to prevent significant morbidity and mortality.

Aged ; Ankle Joint ; microbiology ; surgery ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Infectious ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drainage ; Foot Bones ; microbiology ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess ; microbiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; surgery ; Prostatic Diseases ; microbiology ; Synovial Fluid ; microbiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinary Tract Infections ; drug therapy ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the distribution and antibiotic resistance of pathogens in lesions of diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) and analyze the risk factors causing osteomyelitis.

METHODSA total of 372 patients with diabetic foot infections hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2014, including 203 with osteomyelitis (OM group) and 169 without osteomyelitis (non-OM group), were examined for the distribution and antibiotic resistance profile of the pathogens in the wounds. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors causing osteomyelitis.

RESULTSGram-negative bacteria were the predominant pathogens (53.7%) in the infected wounds in OM group, whereas Gram-positive bacteria were the most frequently found (56.7%) in non-OM group (P=0.001). Among the Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus was the dominating flora (35.1%). The resistance rate to oxacillin and cefoxitin of the isolated bacteria in OM group (64.9% and 68.5%, respectively) was significantly higher than that in non-OM group (29.2% and 32.6%, respectively; P<0.05). Among the gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae was the dominating flora (62.4%), with a higher resistance rate to Cefepime and Aztreonam in OM group (30.1% and 38.6%, respectively) than in non-OM group (15.1% and 22.2%, respectively; P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the infection by multi-drug resistant bacteria and an wounds area >4 cm(2) were the risk factors for osteomyelitis in patients with diabetic foot infections (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn addition to an empirical anti-infection therapy, clinicians should choose specific antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria according to the microbial spectrum and antibiotic resistance of pathogens in patients with DFO; patients with diabetic foot infections by multi-drug resistant bacteria and those with a wound area exceeding 4 cm(2) are exposed to an increased risk of osteomyelitis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cephalosporins ; Diabetic Foot ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Osteomyelitis ; microbiology ; Risk Factors ; Wound Infection ; microbiology

Bone Diseases ; complications ; pathology ; Bone Diseases, Infectious ; complications ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; complications ; microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Osteomyelitis ; complications

Haematogenous osteomyelitis, especially in its more common chronic stage, is an important cause of morbidity in children in the Southern Highlands Province. Hospital stays are lengthy and the incidence of fractures is high. While awaiting, or in the absence of, culture and sensitivity results, cloxacillin 200 mg/kg/day plus probenecid 40 mg/kg/day is an appropriate first choice antibiotic when it is available. Antibiotic therapy in chronic disease should be limited to the specific settings of associated soft tissue infection; pre- and post-sequestrectomy; and radiological signs of ongoing bone necrosis and systemic signs of active infection. Surgical drainage of subperiosteal pus and possibly the medullary canal is required in all but the very early (less than 48 hours) cases of acute osteomyelitis that sometimes respond to antibiotics alone. Sequestrectomy should be reserved for cases where a sequestrum and adequate involucrum can be seen on X-ray. Effective management of this disease is possible only if ongoing communication exists between hospital-based medical staff and the staff of health centres or subcentres, including the network of aid post orderlies and their supervisors. Since the majority of patients present to facilities other than hospitals, any campaign directed at improving management must involve co-workers in rural areas, namely the health extension officer, nurse and aid post orderly. Only in this way can we hope to achieve earlier appropriate treatment and more systematic long-term follow-up.
Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Hospitals, Rural ; Humans ; Osteomyelitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; surgery ; Papua New Guinea ; Rural Health

No abstract available.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Alkaline Phosphatase/*blood ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Infectious/*drug therapy/*enzymology/microbiology ; *Bacterial Infections/drug therapy/enzymology/microbiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Haemophilus influenzae type b/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Infant ; Osteomyelitis/*drug therapy/*enzymology/microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification ; Streptococcus pneumoniae/isolation & purification ; Streptococcus pyogenes/isolation & purification

The bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Tokyo-172 strain was considered to exhibit good protective efficacy with a low rate of unfavorable side effects. However, we describe a rare case of BCG osteomyelitis developed in an immunocompetent host who was given with BCG Tokyo-172 vaccine on the left upper arm by multipuncture method. A 9-month-old girl presented with progressive inability to move her right elbow and had radiographic evidence of septic elbow combined with osteomyelitis of right distal humerus. A biopsy from the site revealed chronic caseating granulomatous inflammation, positive for BCG Tokyo-172 strain on the multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The child had to undergo second surgical debridements and oral antituberculosis chemotherapy. There were no sequelae after 2 yr of follow-up. This complication, although uncommon, should be considered in the appropriate clinical setting.
Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use ; BCG Vaccine/*adverse effects ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Mycobacterium bovis/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Osteomyelitis/drug therapy/*etiology/*microbiology/surgery

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; drug therapy ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; Drug Administration Routes ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Perfusion ; Treatment Outcome