FUNGAL ARTHRITIS - A REVIEW

Fungal arthritis (FA) due to a candida infection was reviewed in Engli sh literature and described in 45 cases. The increasing use of potent antibiotics, immunosuppressives, and especially the use of artificial joints, predisposed to the infection. Weightbearing joints, particular ly the knees, were most frequently affected. Symptoms were described a s a warm, tender and swollen joint, and the duration of symptoms predi agnosis was described as being up to 4 years. Amphotericin B was the t reatment drug of choice, and in cases of no response, supplemented wit h either flucytosine or ketoconazole. Local FA healed in all cases. FA in an artificial joint resulted in all cases in removal of the prosth eses. Mortality in systemic fungal infections including FA was 50%.