Forty-one patients with 42 joint infections were admitted to the hospital between June 1989 and June 1994. An overview on the behaviour of septic arthritis in both children and adults, at presentation and after various types of treatment was done. There were 32 knees, 7 hips, 2 elbows and 1 shoulder. Duration of symptoms, type of organism, type of joint drainage, presence of preexisting joint problems and presence of osteomyelitis are among the important factors with prognostic significance. Seventy three percent of patients with less than 7 days duration of symptoms had satisfactory results. Whereas when the duration of symptoms exceeded 7 days, 75% of the patients had unsatisfactory outcome. All cases with poor outcome had positive cultures. Staphylococcus aureus was responsible for 77% of the culture-positive cases. All Staphylococcus aureus in this study were penicillin-resistant but sensitive to cloxacillin. There were 3 instances where Staphylococcus became resistant to cloxacillin following recurrence of septic arthritis. However, they were still sensitive to third generation cephalosporin. Staphylococcus aureus was capable of producing poor results even when the case was treated early. Other organisms were gram-negative bacilli which infect patients with suppressed immune system, that is, intravenous drug abuser, systemic steroid therapy and diabetes mellitus. Open arthrotomy was the method of drainage used in all hip sepsis. This method was also the most reliable method of joint drainage in other joints compared to aspiration method when frank pus was already present. Most immuno-compromised patients recovered badly from septic arthritis. Associated adjacent osteomyelitis, preexisting chronic arthritis and recent intra-articular fractures were also noted to adversely affect the functional outcome.
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have become a major global problem. Malaysia appears to be an epicenter for such infections and in recent years, several outbreaks have occurred resulting in loss of lives and economic hardships. In this paper, we discussed the outbreaks of leptospirosis, enterovirus 71 encephalitis, chikungunya polyarthritis and Nipah encephalitis and how a developing country such as Malaysia managed the situation with the help of international agencies and organisations. Many valuable lessons were learned and by sharing our experience, it is hoped that we will be in a better position to handle future outbreaks and prevent their spread to countries in the region.
Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is currently distributed in Africa and in South and Southeast Asia; outbreaks have occurred periodically in the region over the past 50 years. After a large outbreak had occurred in countries in the western Indian Ocean region in 2005, several countries reported cases of CHIKF from travelers who had visited affected areas. In Japan, there have been only 15 cases of CHIKF patients so far, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. Therefore, to evaluate the clinical and radiological features associated with the disease, we describe 6 imported cases of CHIKF. All of the patients had had prolonged arthralgia on admission to our hospital, and diagnosis was confirmed with specific antibodies by using an IgM-capture enzyme-linked immunoassay and a plaque reduction neutralizing antibody assay. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of one patient revealed erosive arthritis and tenosynovitis during the convalescence stage. Clinicians should be aware of the late consequences of infection by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and recognize the possible association of subacute and chronic arthritis features. In addition, competent vectors of CHIKV, Aedes aegypti, can now be found in many temperate areas of the eastern and western hemispheres, including Japan. This fact raises concern that the virus could be introduced and become established in these areas. This necessitates an increased awareness of the disease, because imported cases are likely to contribute to the spread of CHIKV infection wherever the competent mosquito vectors are distributed.
Neonatal septic arthritis has always been considered as separate from its counterpart in older children. The condition is uncommon but serious. Affected neonates usually survive, but with permanent skeletal deformities. Ten cases of neonatal septic arthritis were diagnosed between January 1989 and December 1993 in the neonatal intensive care units of two referral hospitals in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. All except one neonate was born prematurely. The mean age of presentation was 15.6 days. Joint swelling (10/10), increased warmth (7/10) and erythema of the overlying skin (7/10) were the common presenting signs. Vague constitutional symptoms preceded the definitive signs of septic arthritis in all cases. The total white cell counts were raised with shift to the left. The knee (60%) was not commonly affected, followed by the hip (13%) and ankle (13%). Three neonates had multiple joint involvement. Coexistence of arthritis with osteomyelitis was observed in seven neonates. The commonest organism isolated was methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (9/10). Needle aspiration was performed in nine neonates and one had incision with drainage. Follow up data was available for five neonates and two of these had skeletal morbidity. Early diagnosis by frequent examination of the joints, prompt treatment and control of nosocomial infection are important for management.