Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Antimicrobial therapy for bone and joint infections

  • Published:
Current Infectious Disease Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bone and joint infections present a major therapeutic dilemma for health care providers from different medical and surgical specialties. There is a conspicuous lack of strong data on epidemiologic findings, financial impact related to loss of work, and rehabilitation cost in the area of bone infections. This review outlines the antimicrobial options and duration of therapy for osteomyelitis, prostheses-associated orthopedic infections, and septic arthritis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Tice AD, Hoaglund PA, Shoultz DA: Outcomes of osteomyelitis among patients treated with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy. Am J Med 2003, 114:723–728.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ohl CA: Infectious arthritis of native joints. In Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, edn 6. Edited by Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2005:1311–1322.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Shirtliff ME, Mader JT: Acute septic arthritis. Clin Microbiol Rev 2002, 15:527–544.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lew DP, Waldvogel FA: Osteomyelitis. Lancet 2004, 364:369–379.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lew DP, Waldvogel FA: Use of quinolones in osteomyelitis and infected orthopaedic prosthesis. Drugs 1999, 58(Suppl 2):85–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bernard L WF, Lew DP: Treatment of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis. In Quinolone Antimicrobial Agents, edn 3. Edited by Hooper DC, Rubenstein E. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2003:251–258.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Drancourt M, Stein A, Argenson JN, et al.: Oral treatment of Staphylococcus spp. infected orthopaedic implants with fusidic acid or ofloxacin in combination with rifampicin. J Antimicrob Chemother 1997, 39:235–240.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Drancourt M, Stein A, Argenson JN, et al.: Oral rifampin plus ofloxacin for treatment of Staphylococcus-infected orthopedic implants. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1993, 37:1214–1218.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Stein ADM, Raoult D: Bisno AL. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2000:211–230.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zimmerli W, Widmer AF, Blatter M, et al.: Role of rifampin for treatment of orthopedic implant-related staphylococcal infections: a randomized controlled trial. Foreign-Body Infection (FBI) Study Group. JAMA 1998, 279:1537–1541.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chuard C, Herrmann M, Vaudaux P, et al.: Successful therapy of experimental chronic foreign-body infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by antimicrobial combinations. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1991, 35:2611–2616.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Widmer AF, Gaechter A, Ochsner PE, Zimmerli W: Antimicrobial treatment of orthopedic implant-related infections with rifampin combinations. Clin Infect Dis 1992, 14:1251–1253.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Schwank S, Rajacic Z, Zimmerli W, Blaser J: Impact of bacterial biofilm formation on in vitro and in vivo activities of antibiotics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1998, 42:895–898.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Perry AC, Prpa B, Rouse MS, et al.: Levofloxacin and trovafloxacin inhibition of experimental fracture-healing. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2003, 414:95–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. de Barros JW, Calapodopulos CJ, Oliveira DJ, Miki Júnior P: The treatment of chronic osteomyelitis. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 1992, 25:235–239.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Karamanis EM, Matthaiou DK, Moraitis LI, Falagas ME: Fluoroquinolones versus beta-lactam based regimens for the treatment of osteomyelitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Spine 2008, 33:E297–E304.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Birmingham MC, Rayner CR, Meagher AK, et al.: Linezolid for the treatment of multidrug-resistant, grampositive infections: experience from a compassionate-use program. Clin Infect Dis 2003, 36:159–168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Shuford JA, Steckelberg JM: Role of oral antimicrobial therapy in the management of osteomyelitis. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2003, 16:515–519.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rayner CR, Baddour LM, Birmingham MC, et al.: Linezolid in the treatment of osteomyelitis: results of compassionate use experience. Infection 2004, 32:8–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lipsky BA, Itani K, Norden C: Treating foot infections in diabetic patients: a randomized, multicenter, open-label trial of linezolid versus ampicillin-sulbactam/amoxicillinclavulanate. Clin Infect Dis 2004, 38:17–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Rao N, Ziran BH, Hall RA, Santa ER: Successful treatment of chronic bone and joint infections with oral linezolid. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2004, 427:67–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Rouse MS, Piper KE, Jacobson M, et al.: Daptomycin treatment of Staphylococcus aureus experimental chronic osteomyelitis. J Antimicrob Chemother 2006, 57:301–305.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lamp KC, Friedrich LV, Mendez-Vigo L, Russo R: Clinical experience with daptomycin for the treatment of patients with osteomyelitis. Am J Med 2007, 120(10 Suppl 1):S13–S20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Yin LY, Lazzarini L, Li F, et al.: Comparative evaluation of tigecycline and vancomycin, with and without rifampicin, in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus experimental osteomyelitis in a rabbit model. J Antimicrob Chemother 2005, 55:995–1002.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lentino JR: Prosthetic joint infections: bane of orthopedists, challenge for infectious disease specialists. Clin Infect Dis 2003, 36:1157–1161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Berbari EF, Hanssen AD, Duffy MC, et al.: Risk factors for prosthetic joint infection: case-control study. Clin Infect Dis 1998, 27:1247–1254.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bozic KJ, Ries MD: The impact of infection after total hip arthroplasty on hospital and surgeon resource utilization. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2005, 87:1746–1751.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Trautner BW, Darouiche RO: Catheter-associated infections: pathogenesis affects prevention. Arch Intern Med 2004, 164:842–850.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Zimmerli W, Trampuz A, Ochsner PE: Prosthetic-joint infections. N Engl J Med 2004, 351:1645–1654.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Norden CW, Shaffer M: Treatment of experimental chronic osteomyelitis due to staphylococcus aureus with vancomycin and rifampin. J Infect Dis 1983, 147:352–357.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Norden CW: Experimental osteomyelitis. IV. Therapeutic trials with rifampin alone and in combination with gentamicin, sisomicin, and cephalothin. J Infect Dis 1975, 132:493–499.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Norden CW, Fierer J, Bryant RE: Chronic staphylococcal osteomyelitis: treatment with regimens containing rifampin. Rev Infect Dis 1983, 5(Suppl 3):S495–S501.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Norden CW, Keleti E: Treatment of experimental staphylococcal osteomyelitis with rifampin and trimethoprim, alone and in combination. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1980, 17:591–594.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. O’Reilly T, Kunz S, Sande E, et al.: Relationship between antibiotic concentration in bone and efficacy of treatment of staphylococcal osteomyelitis in rats: azithromycin compared with clindamycin and rifampin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1992, 36:2693–2697.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Dworkin R, Modin G, Kunz S, et al.: Comparative efficacies of ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin, and vancomycin in combination with rifampin in a rat model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus chronic osteomyelitis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1990, 34:1014–1016.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Zimmerli W, Frei R, Widmer AF, Rajacic Z: Microbiological tests to predict treatment outcome in experimental devicerelated infections due to Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 1994, 33:959–967.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Saleh-Mghir A, Ameur N, Muller-Serieys C, et al.: Combination of quinupristin-dalfopristin (Synercid) and rifampin is highly synergistic in experimental Staphylococcus aureus joint prosthesis infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2002, 46:1122–1124.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Saginur R, Stdenis M, Ferris W, et al.: Multiple combination bactericidal testing of staphylococcal biofilms from implantassociated infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2006, 50:55–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Pavoni GL, Giannella M, Falcone M, et al.: Conservative medical therapy of prosthetic joint infections: retrospective analysis of an 8-year experience. Clin Microbiol Infect 2004, 10:831–837.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Rao N, Crossett LS, Sinha RK, Le Frock JL: Long-term suppression of infection in total joint arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2003, 414:55–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Stein A, Bataille JF, Drancourt M, et al.: Ambulatory treatment of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus-infected orthopedic implants with high-dose oral co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole). Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1998, 42:3086–3091.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Bassetti M, Vitale F, Melica G, et al.: Linezolid in the treatment of Gram-positive prosthetic joint infections. J Antimicrob Chemother 2005, 55:387–390.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Vercillo M, Patzakis MJ, Holtom P, Zalavras CG: Linezolid in the treatment of implant-related chronic osteomyelitis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2007, 461:40–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Razonable RR, Osmon DR, Steckelberg JM: Linezolid therapy for orthopedic infections. Mayo Clin Proc 2004, 79:1137–1144.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Rao N, Regalla DM: Uncertain efficacy of daptomycin for prosthetic joint infections: a prospective case series. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2006, 451:34–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Coakley G, Mathews C, Field M, et al.: BSR & BHPR, BOA, RCGP and BSAC guidelines for management of the hot swollen joint in adults. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2006, 45:1039–1041.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Sattar MA, Barrett SP, Cawley MI: Concentrations of some antibiotics in synovial fluid after oral administration, with special reference to antistaphylococcal activity. Ann Rheum Dis 1983, 42:67–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Stengel D, Bauwens K, Sehouli J, et al.: Systematic review and meta-analysis of antibiotic therapy for bone and joint infections. Lancet Infect Dis 2001, 1:175–188.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Odio CM, Ramirez T, Arias G, et al.: Double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of dexamethasone therapy for hematogenous septic arthritis in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2003, 22:883–888.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Sharp JT, Lidsky MD, Duffy J, Duncan MW: Infectious arthritis. Arch Intern Med 1979, 139:1125–1130.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2003 Supplement: Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) Annual Report—2003. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Update to CDC’s sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006: fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2007, 56:332–336.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Infectious Diseases, Room 4B-370, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Saima Aslam

Authors
  1. Saima Aslam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rabih O. Darouiche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Saima Aslam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aslam, S., Darouiche, R.O. Antimicrobial therapy for bone and joint infections. Curr Infect Dis Rep 11, 7–13 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-009-0002-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-009-0002-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation