Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is infection of bone, which can be caused by a number of different organisms including that responsible for tuberculosis. While it can be a result of direct trauma, as happens when there is a compound fracture (a fracture where the broken bone pierces the skin and so allows the entry of bacteria) or when there has been surgical intervention (infection is a rare but serious complication of joint replacement surgery) very often the source of infection is a mystery. The agent most commonly responsible is a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus. In acute osteomyelitis there is pain over the affected part together with signs of infection, such as fever. Without prompt treatment the affected bone may die, and the dead bone separate to form what is called a sequestrum. There may be the formation of an abscess which can discharge through the overlying skin and form a sinus. With inadequate treatment the condition can become chronic with intermittent periods of pain and discharge which sometimes last for years. The management involves prolonged courses of high doses of antibiotics specifically directed at the germ that’s responsible, together with surgery to drain abscesses and remove dead bone. Localised pain over a bone or joint associated with fever need medical attention.
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