Diagnostics and Antibiotic Therapy in Bone and Joint Infections

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibiotic Therapy in Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 281

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery (CMSC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
Interests: periprosthetic joint infection (PJI); fracture-related infection (FRI); septic revision arthroplasty; surgical site antisepsis; local antibiotic therapy; diagnostic biomarkers; multidisciplinary infection management; outcome analysis after musculoskeletal infection; implant-associated biofilm; artificial intelligence in infection diagnostics; clinical study design and investigator-initiated trials

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery (CMSC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
Interests: Bone and joint infections (BJI); arthroplasty; osteomyelitis; immune responses to BJI; antibiotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming Special Issue of Antibiotics, titled “Diagnostics and Antibiotic Therapy in Bone and Joint Infections”.

Bone and joint infections represent a complex clinical challenge, often requiring timely diagnosis and multidisciplinary management to ensure optimal clinical and functional outcomes. Despite advances in imaging, microbiology, surgical techniques, and antimicrobial stewardship, significant gaps remain in our understanding and standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

This Special Issue aims to bring together high-quality original research (clinical or experimental) and comprehensive reviews that explore current trends, innovative diagnostic tools, surgical strategies, and evolving antibiotic regimens in the management of osteomyelitis, implant-related infections, and other musculoskeletal infections.

We warmly invite researchers, clinicians, microbiologists, and infectious disease specialists to contribute their relevant work to this issue. Submissions addressing novel biomarkers, rapid diagnostic techniques, biofilm-related challenges, antibiotic resistance, the use of new local antimicrobial carriers, and alternative treatment algorithms for bone and joint infections are particularly encouraged.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Sebastian Meller
Dr. Stavros Goumenos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • bone and joint infections
  • osteomyelitis
  • implant-related infections
  • diagnostics
  • antimicrobials
  • antibiotic therapy
  • PJI management
  • surgical site antisepsis
  • local antibiotic therapy
  • diagnostic biomarkers
  • multidisciplinary infection management
  • outcome analysis after musculoskeletal infection

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 483 KB  
Article
Local Vancomycin Application Reduces Periprosthetic Joint Infections in Oncologic Megaprosthetic Reconstruction: A Retrospective Cohort Study
by Andreas G. Tsantes, Dimitrios V. Papadopoulos, Stavros Goumenos, Petros Ioannou, Nikolaos Stavropoulos, Eleni Petrou, Ioannis G. Trikoupis, Christos Koutserimpas, Alexandra Mpakosi, Vasileios A. Kontogeorgakos, Stefanos Bonovas, Panayiotis J. Papagelopoulos, Athanasios Tsakris and Argirios E. Tsantes
Antibiotics 2025, 14(9), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14090952 - 19 Sep 2025
Viewed by 133
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) represent a serious complication following musculoskeletal tumor resection and megaprosthetic reconstruction. Local antibiotic administration may reduce infection risk by achieving high local drug concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether local vancomycin powder reduces postoperative [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) represent a serious complication following musculoskeletal tumor resection and megaprosthetic reconstruction. Local antibiotic administration may reduce infection risk by achieving high local drug concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether local vancomycin powder reduces postoperative periprosthetic infections in bone tumor surgeries involving megaprostheses. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 276 patients who underwent bone tumor resection and megaprosthetic reconstruction. Study subjects were divided into two groups: the control group (n = 142) that received standard perioperative intravenous antibiotics, and the vancomycin group (n = 134) that received an additional 1 g of vancomycin powder locally at wound closure. Periprosthetic joint infections were defined using the 2018 International Consensus Meeting (ICM) criteria and monitored for 2 years. A multivariable competing risks regression model was used to assess the independent effect of local vancomycin on infection risk. Results: Periprosthetic joint infections occurred in 28 patients in the control group (19.7%) vs. eight patients in the vancomycin group (5.9%, p = 0.001). The most frequently isolated pathogens were coagulase-negative staphylococci (52.7%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (22.2%). Among infected patients in the vancomycin group, only two had Gram-positive infections, suggesting efficacy against staphylococcal PJIs. The multivariable regression confirmed a significantly lower risk of infection in the vancomycin group (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16–0.95, p = 0.040), while pelvic tumors were associated with a higher infection risk (HR: 5.82, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results indicate that local vancomycin may reduce periprosthetic infection rates in oncologic megaprosthetic reconstruction without added complications. Randomized studies are warranted to confirm these findings and refine dosing strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostics and Antibiotic Therapy in Bone and Joint Infections)
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