TITLE:
Yersinia enterocolitica Infection of a Prosthetic Knee Joint. Case Report and Review of the Literature on Deep Sited Infections Caused by Y. enterocolitica
AUTHORS:
Päivi Jalava-Karvinen, Jarmo Oksi, Kaisu Rantakokko-Jalava, Petri Virolainen, Pirkko Kotilainen
KEYWORDS:
Debridement Operation; Prosthetic Knee Joint; Purulent Infection; Yersinia enterocolitica
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Infectious Diseases,
Vol.3 No.2,
June
5,
2013
ABSTRACT: Prosthetic
joint infection is a rare manifestation of Yersinia
enterocolitica. We report a case of a patient presenting with fever and a
purulent infection in his prosthetic knee joint caused by Y. enterocolitica. He had been operated in 1990 for arthrosis of
the right knee. Re-operation was performed in 2007 for loosening of the
prosthesis. Seven months later, following progressively increasing knee pain,
he became acutely febrile and a purulent knee joint infection was diagnosed. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from the
joint fluid. Serum antibodies against Y.
enterocolitica were also positive. He was treated with debridement,
replacement of the liner component of the prosthesis and a long course of
intravenous antimicrobial therapy. The infection was thought to be in a chronic
suppressive state. The final outcome after all therapy was good.