title: Infection following orthopaedic implants and bone surgery.
abstract: Forty-seven patients were investigated for early or late postoperative infections of orthopaedic implants and/or bone. A total of 88 isolates were recovered (64 aerobes and 24 anaerobes). Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis were the most common causative agents. Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from 16 (34%) patients; 50% of patients with late-onset infection and 10.5% with early-onset infection. In 6 (12.8%) patients, infection was with anaerobic organisms alone. All these patients had retained an extramedullary internal fixation device. Anaerobic microorganisms appear to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of late-onset postoperative infection, especially where there is an extramedullary internal fixation device.
authors.affiliation: Basra University Teaching Hospital, Basra, Iraq. haideramousa@hotmail.com
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Mousa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015984:Causality; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000209:etiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors