Acute Osteomyelitis - Historically known as “Bone Fever” Top:
Acute supperative osteomyelitis in femur - note the purulent
cavities and pus-filled medullary canal at A, B, and C. In this
case, the epiphysis (E) and conjunctive cartilage (D) are
uninfected. Center Left: Acute osteomyelitis of tibia,
cicatrices showing common position of sinuses in bone. Center
Right: Acute epiphysial separation due to osteomyelitis
following typhoid fever. Bottom: Early stage of acute
osteomyelitis in tibia. Note site “A” - where the infection
passed from the periosteum to the interior of the bone. The
articular cartilages (C) are sodden with pus from the infected
joint. Acute osteomyelitis is most commonly seen in children and
those with diabetes. It is rarely “spontaneous” - the bacteria
that infect the subperosteum and marrow have to be introduced
into the bloodstream somehow, and there is usually a known
source. Systemic infection or traumatic injury are the most
common ways that bacteria (today, most commonly Staphylococc