Osteomyelitis is a medical term that describes an infection inside a bone. It's usually caused by a bacterial infection but the condition can also be the result of a fungal infection.
Types of osteomyelitis
There are three main types of osteomyelitis:
- Acute osteomyelitis, where the bone infection develops within two weeks of an initial infection, injury or the onset of an underlying disease.
- Sub-acute osteomyelitis, where the bone infection develops within one ot two months of an initial infection, injury or onset of an underlying disease.
- Chronic osteomyelitis, where the bone infection develops two months or more after an initial infection, injury or onset of an underlying disease.
Acute osteomyelitis is more common in children than adults and usually develops as a complication of a pre-existing blood infection (haematogenous osteomyelitis).
Sub-acute and chronic osteomyelitis are more common in adults and usually develop as a result of an injury or trauma (contiguous osteomyelitis), such as a fractured bone.
Sub-acute and chronic osteomyelitis can also develop as a complication of a condition that affects the blood supply to the bones, such as diabetes, making the bones more vulnerable to infection.
How common is osteomyelitis?
Acute osteomyelitis is rare in children. It's estimated that one in every 1,000 children under the age of one will develop acute osteomyelitis.
The condition is even less common in children over one, with one in every 5,000 children affected.
At present, there is limited data to accurately estimate how widespread osteomyelitis is in the adult population. The condition is known to be a common complication in certain health conditions.
For example, it's estimated that between 30% and 40% of people with diabetes, who experience a puncture injury to the foot, will develop osteomyelitis. One in every 200 people with sickle cell anaemia (a hereditary blood condition) will develop osteomyelitis in any given year.
Outlook
The outlook for osteomyelitis can vary depending on what type of osteomyelitis is present. Acute osteomyelitis, if detected and treated early enough, tends to have a good prognosis.
Sub-acute and chronic osteomyelitis can be more difficult to correctly diagnose and to treat, and both conditions can result in permanent damage to the bone.
Osteomyelitis can usually be successfully treated using antibiotics or, when appropriate, anti-fungal medicines. In more serious cases, surgery may be required to remove diseased bone and tissue and drain away the pus that can be caused by an infection.
