Postoperative Joint Infections Due to Propionibacterium Species: A Case-Control Study

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 49; no. 7; pp. 1083 - 1085
• Main Authors: Kanafani, Zeina A., Sexton, Daniel J., Pien, Brian C., Varkey, Jay, Basmania, Carl, Kaye, Keith S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford The University of Chicago Press 01.10.2009; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arthroplasty - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; BRIEF REPORTS; Case-Control Studies; Comparative analysis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Gram-positive bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - epidemiology; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Joint Diseases - surgery; Joint prostheses; Joint surgery; Joints; Knee joint; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Predisposing factors; Propionibacterium; Propionibacterium acnes; Propionibacterium acnes - isolation & purification; Prosthesis-Related Infections - epidemiology; Prosthesis-Related Infections - microbiology; Risk Factors; Shoulder; Studies; Surgical procedures; Surgical specialties; Infection; Postoperative; Propionibacterium; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Propionibacteriaceae; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Arthritis; Case control study
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/605577

We compared 40 patients with Propionibacterium acnes postoperative joint infection to a cohort of uninfected patients. Infection manifested a median of 210 days after surgery. Most patients with joint prostheses underwent hardware removal. Prior joint surgery (odds ratio [OR], 28.2) and male sex (OR, 7.2) were independent risk factors for infection.