Osteomyelitis Health Article

Definition

Osteomyelitis is an acute or chronic bone infection.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Bone infection can be caused by bacteria or fungi.

• Infection may also spread to a bone from infected skin, muscles, or tendons next to the bone, as in osteomyelitis that occurs under a chronic skin ulcer (sore).
• The infection that causes osteomyelitis can also start in another part of the body and spread to the bone through the blood.
• A current or past injury may have made the affected bone more likely to develop the infection. A bone infection can also start after bone surgery, especially if the surgery is done after an injury or if metal rods or plates are placed in the bone.

In children, the long bones are usually affected. In adults, the feet, spine bones (vertebrae), and the hips (pelvis) are most commonly affected.

Risk factors are recent trauma, diabetes, hemodialysis, poor blood supply, and IV drug abuse. People who have had their spleen removed are also at higher risk for osteomyelitis.

Symptoms

• Bone pain
• Fever
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill-feeling (malaise)
• Local swelling, redness, and warmth
• Nausea

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Chills
• Excessive sweating
• Low back pain
• Swelling of the ankles, feet, and legs

Signs and tests

A physical examination shows bone tenderness and possibly swelling and redness.

Tests may include:

• Blood cultures
• Bone biopsy (which is then cultured)
• Bone scan
• Bone x-ray
• C-reactive protein (CRP)
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• MRI
• Needle aspiration of the area around affected bones