Which bacteria are usually responsible for nongonococcal septic arthritis in adults?
Overall causative pathogens are documented by culture in approximately 70% to 90% of septic arthritis patients and include:
S. aureus | 37%–65% (increasing rates of methicillin resistance) |
Streptococci | 22% (group B more common in elderly and diabetics) |
Gram-negative bacilli | 5%–20% |
Polymicrobial | <8% |
Coagulase-negative Staphylococci | 4% |
Culture-negative | 10%–20% |