Infections of the skeletal system.

Infections of the skeletal system are caused by a variety of organisms and generally occur through two routes, direct inoculation or hematogenous spread. Treatment requires long-term antimicrobial therapy with or without surgery to remove devitalized bone, inflammatory debris, foreign material, and necrotic tissue. This article reviews the causative agents,common diagnostics, and nuances of antimicrobial therapy commonly used to treat infection. It also reviews the major classifications of skeletal infections (hematogenous bone infections, bone infection from exogenous sources, and septic arthritis), with details covering pathophysiology,clinical presentation, treatment, and prognosis.