Periprosthetic Joint Infection Caused by Mycoplasma hominis, Diagnosed Using Metagenomic Sequencing

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Infectious diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
• Mycoplasma hominis is an uncommon cause of PJI, with few reported cases globally.
• Diagnosis can be challenging due to difficulties in isolating the microorganism using conventional methods.

Observation:

• A patient developed PJI after TKA.
• Standard cultures failed to identify the causative pathogen.
• Metagenomic sequencing was employed for etiological investigation.

Findings:

• Metagenomic sequencing successfully identified Mycoplasma hominis as the pathogen responsible for PJI.
• This represents a novel identification of Mycoplasma hominis in PJI post-TKA.

Implications:

• Mycoplasma hominis should be considered in culture-negative PJI cases after TKA.
• Metagenomic sequencing offers a valuable tool for diagnosing challenging PJI cases.
• Improved diagnostic approaches may lead to better patient outcomes for TKA infections.