Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection in patients with prosthetic joint included in the prospective VIRSTA cohort study: frequency and time of occurrence of periprosthetic joint infection

International audience; Among 143 patients of the VIRSTA cohort study with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and an arthroplasty implanted for more than a year, S. aureus periprosthetic joint infection was observed in 19%. Signs of infection (pain and swelling) were always present, in median 1 day (range, 0-21 days) after onset of bacteremia. Staphylococcus aureus has both a high potential for metastatic infection and a high affinity for foreign material. Possible prosthesis infection is of clinical concern in all patients with preexisting prosthetic materials experiencing S. aureus bloodstream infection (SAB). Prosthetic joints are especially prone to infection during the course of bacterem…