Septic arthritis in childhood

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Rheumatology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Septic arthritis is a serious joint infection in children.
• Understanding causative organisms and risk factors is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.
• Previous studies show varying patterns, necessitating local data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively analyze the patterns of pediatric septic arthritis.
• To identify common causative organisms and associated factors in different age groups.
• To describe the clinical presentation in a major municipal hospital over a decade.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of pediatric septic arthritis cases.
• Data collected over a ten-year period at a municipal hospital.
• Analysis of patient demographics, causative organisms, and clinical associations.

Main Results:

• Hemophilus influenzae was the predominant organism in children under two years old, often linked to upper respiratory tract infections (75%).
• Staphylococcus aureus was prevalent in children over five years old (87.5%), frequently associated with trauma history.
• All identified patients were Black; sickle cell disease was unexpectedly absent despite its prevalence in the hospital population.

Conclusions:

• Age-specific causative organisms and associated factors are critical in pediatric septic arthritis.
• Hemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus are key pathogens in distinct pediatric age groups.
• The absence of sickle cell disease in this cohort warrants further investigation into its potential protective or confounding factors.