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Prosthetic joint infection due to Staphylococcus lugdunensis

P Sampathkumar1, D R Osmon, F R Cockerill

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
|May 12, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Staphylococcus lugdunensis can cause serious infections, including prosthetic joint infections. Misidentification as Staphylococcus aureus is possible, but S lugdunensis is typically more antibiotic-susceptible, aiding accurate diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

  • Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are increasingly implicated in infections.
  • Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a CoNS species recognized for causing severe infections.
  • Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges in orthopedic surgery.

Observation:

  • Two cases of total knee arthroplasty infection caused by S lugdunensis are presented.
  • S lugdunensis possesses a clumping factor leading to positive slide coagulase tests.
  • This can result in misidentification as Staphylococcus aureus if tube coagulase tests are not performed.

Findings:

  • S lugdunensis exhibits virulence similar to S aureus in clinical settings.
  • Unlike S aureus, S lugdunensis generally remains susceptible to a broad range of antibiotics.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility patterns can serve as a crucial clue for differentiating S lugdunensis from S aureus.

Implications:

  • Accurate identification of S lugdunensis is critical for appropriate patient management.
  • Distinguishing S lugdunensis from S aureus impacts treatment strategies for prosthetic joint infections.
  • Further research on S lugdunensis epidemiology and pathogenesis is needed to optimize therapies.

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