septic arthritis

Arthritis resulting from infection via the bloodstream, open wounds, or occasionally osteomyelitis of adjacent bone. Almost any bacterial organism may be involved in the presence of an open wound, but in the case of blood-borne infection, pus-causing bacteria, particularly staphylococci, are the main organisms.

Gonococcal arthritis can occur as a complication of gonorrhoea. Tubercular arthritis is nowadays usually secondary to human tuberculous infection of the lungs, but before pasteurization of milk and the introduction of tuberculin-tested cattle, the most common cause was gastrointestinal tuberculosis from cows. Early treatment of these bacterially infected joints is necessary if joint destruction is to be prevented.