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Septic arthritis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Bacterial arthritis; Non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis

Symptoms:

Symptoms usually come on quickly. There is a fever, and joint swelling that is usually in just one joint. There is also intense joint pain, which gets worse with movement.

Symptoms in newborns or infants:

  • Cries when infected joint is moved (example: diaper change causes crying if hip joint is infected)
  • Fever
  • Inability to move the limb with the infected joint (pseudoparalysis)
  • Irritability

Symptoms in children and adults:

  • Inability to move the limb with the infected joint (pseudoparalysis)
  • Intense joint pain
  • Joint swelling
  • Joint redness
  • Low fever

Chills may occur, but are uncommon.

Signs and tests:

  • Reviewed last on: 6/9/2011
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Espinoza LR. Infections of bursae, joints, and bones. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 290.

Ohl CA. Infectious arthritis of native joints. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:chap 102.

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