Diagnosis and management of acute osteoarticular infections in children

Abstract

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis and septic arthritis are not uncommon infections in children and should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of limb pain and pseudoparalysis. Most bone infections in children arise secondary to hematogenous seeding of bacteria into bone. The most common pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus and Kingella kingae. Children with septic arthritis should be evaluated promptly by orthopedic specialists for aspiration and possible debridement of concomitant osteomyelitis. Optimal empiric therapy after appropriate cultures continues to be intravenous cefazolin. In most cases, conversion to oral antimicrobials should occur when the patient has clinically improved and has decreasing inflammatory markers. For most uncomplicated cases of osteomyelitis, current recommendations are 3 to 4 weeks of antimicrobial therapy compared with the 6 weeks previously recommended.