Oral antibiotic treatment of staphylococcal bone and joint infections in adults

Abstract

Bone and joint infections, especially implant-associated infections, are difficult to cure. Long-term antibiotic therapy, combined with appropriate surgery and the removal of prostheses, is required. The most common causative organisms in bone and joint infections are staphylococci. Oral agents are often used after an initial course of parenteral antibiotic treatment. However, it is unclear which oral regimens are most effective in staphylococcal bone and joint infections. We review various oral antibiotic regimens and discuss which regimens are effective for this indication.

Keywords: Staphylococcus; antimicrobial treatment; infectious arthritis; joint prosthesis; orthopaedic fixation devices; osteomyelitis.