Corynebacterium Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasy Prosthetic Joint Infections

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedics
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are commonly caused by Staphylococcus species.
• Corynebacterium species, typically skin commensals, are increasingly identified due to improved diagnostics.
• Historically, Corynebacterium was often misidentified or dismissed as contamination in cultures.

Observation:

• This study reports six cases of PJIs involving total hip and knee arthroplasty.
• All six cases were caused by Corynebacterium species.
• A significant rate of surgical treatment failure, defined as reoperation for infection, was observed.

Findings:

• Corynebacterium species represent an uncommon but significant cause of PJI.
• Surgical intervention for Corynebacterium PJI demonstrated a high failure rate.
• Accurate identification of Corynebacterium species is crucial for appropriate PJI management.

Implications:

• The findings underscore the need for increased awareness of Corynebacterium as a potential pathogen in PJI.
• Further research is warranted to establish optimal treatment strategies for Corynebacterium PJI.
• This study contributes valuable data to the limited literature on Corynebacterium-related joint arthroplasty infections.