title: Prosthetic joint infections: update in diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: The pathogenesis of prosthetic joint infection is related to microorganisms growing in biofilms, rendering these infections difficult to diagnose and to eradicate. Low-grade infections in particular are difficult to distinguish from aseptic failure, often presenting only with early loosening and persisting pain, or no clinical signs of infection at all. A combination of preoperative and intraoperative tests is usually needed for an accurate diagnosis of infection of prosthetic joint infections. Successful treatment requires adequate surgical procedure combined with long-term antimicrobial therapy, ideally with an agent acting on adhering stationary- phase microorganisms. In this article, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of prosthetic joint infections are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trampuz
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zimmerli
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents