Complicated community-acquired methicillin-resistant bacteremia leading to late-onset prosthetic joint infection: A breakthrough diagnosis with multiplex PCR

An early diagnosis of bone and joint infections (BJIs) is needed for prevention of significant morbidity and burden on healthcare systems. We present a case of community-acquired bacteremia (SAB) in a patient with prior history of bilateral total knee replacement (TKR) where there was a difficulty in establishing the diagnosis of septic arthritis because of the heterogenous nature of this infection. The BioFire® Joint Infection (JI) Panel detected methicillin-resistant (MRSA) from the synovial fluid aspirate and confirmed the diagnosis. Early careful usage and interpretation of such molecular platforms can have a significant impact in diagnosis and management of BJIs.