Septic arthritis

Abstract

Septic arthritis is a rare but serious disease, even fatal. It is secondary to the invasion of the joint by a bacterial germ. Bacterial culture is the gold standard for diagnosis, but some septic arthritis remains sterile to culture. The use of molecular biology can be of great diagnostic help and can overcome the deficiencies of conventional bacteriology. An epidemiologic investigation and a precise biological analysis can be of a great diagnostic contribution, in particular in the context of a differential diagnosis with other arthropathies. Diagnostic optimization includes, besides the assurance of a good quality of the samples, a better management of the delays of transport and a good mastery of the diagnostic means. The diagnosis of septic arthritis remains delicate and provokes the confrontation of a bundle of multidisciplinary elements where bacteriology remains the cornerstone.