Diagnosis of Culture-Negative Septic Arthritis with Polymerase Chain Reaction in an Immunosuppressed Patient: A Case Report

Authors

Zachariah G. Whiting, The George Washington University
Teresa Doerre, The George Washington University

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

7-1-2020

Journal

JBJS Case Connector

Volume

10

Issue

3

DOI

10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00057

Abstract

© 2020 BY THE JOURNAL OF BONE AND JOINT SURGERY, INCORPORATED. Case:We present a 23-year-old woman on immunosuppressive therapy with polyarticular, culture-negative septic arthritis. She underwent irrigation and debridement with empiric antibiotic therapy but had recurrence of septic arthritis despite treatment. Polymerase chain reaction testing eventually identified Ureaplasma as the causative organism. She was successfully treated with an extended course of organism-specific antibiotics.Conclusion:More patients are being treated with immune modulating therapies. Immunosuppressed patients are at risk for atypical infections and may have different presentations than immunocompetent patients. Newer diagnostic modalities can help identify causative organisms and direct treatment in the case of negative cultures. COPYRIGHT

APA Citation

Whiting, Z., & Doerre, T. (2020). Diagnosis of Culture-Negative Septic Arthritis with Polymerase Chain Reaction in an Immunosuppressed Patient: A Case Report. JBJS Case Connector, 10 (3). http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00057