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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
Summary
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.