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Identification of prosthetic joint infection by Candida using metagenomic shotgun sequencing
Liqiong Lin1,2, Kaiwei Shen3, Lili Xiao1,2
1Department of Orthopedics, Fuzhou Second Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China.
Background:
Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication after total knee arthroplasty. Fungal infections are prone to biofilm formation, which makes it hard to diagnose and clarify the pathogenic species.
Case Presentation:
This case study provides evidence of a novel PJI pathogen that is otherwise difficult to detect using conventional methods. A patient was reviewed with persistent postoperative pain, swelling and eventually drainage around the left knee after undergoing a bilateral total knee arthroplasty 2 years previously for progressive osteoarthritis. By using metagenomic shotgun sequencing to analyse both bacterial and fungal agent sequences, we were able to identify fungal strains of Candida tropicalis, a rarely reported and difficult-to-culture PJI pathogen.
Conclusion:
Metagenomic shotgun sequencing enables the detection of difficult-to-detect pathogens and the formulation of treatment recommendations for fungal infections with low positive rates based on gene content analysis.
Insights
Metagenomic shotgun sequencing identified Candida tropicalis, a rare fungal pathogen, causing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). This advanced technique aids in diagnosing difficult-to-culture infections after knee replacement surgery.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Genomics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a significant complication following total knee arthroplasty.
- Fungal PJIs are challenging due to biofilm formation and difficulty in identifying causative agents.
- Conventional diagnostic methods often fail to detect rare or difficult-to-culture pathogens.
