Infectious arthritis, which is sometimes called septic arthritis
or pyogenic arthritis, is a serious infection of the joints
characterized by pain, fever, occasional chills, inflammation
and swelling in one or more joints, and loss of function in the
affected joints. It is considered a medical emergency.
Infectious arthritis can occur in any age group, including
newborns and children. In adults, it usually affects the wrists
or one of the patient's weight-bearing joints—most often the
knee—although about 20% of adult patients have symptoms in more
than one joint. Multiple joint infection is common in children
and typically involves the shoulders, knees, and hips. Some
groups of patients are at greater risk for developing infectious
arthritis. These high-risk groups include: - patients with
chronic rheumatoid arthritis - patients with certain systemic
infections, including gonorrhea and HIV infection. Women and
male homosexuals are at greater risk for gonorrheal arthritis
than are male heterosexuals - patients