Dr Fabian Chong Tien Fook
MELAKA: If your toddler refuses to step on the ground and at the same time suffers from fever and a chronic cough, he or she may have an inflammation/infection of bone marrow or Osteomyelitis (OM), according to expert.
Ayer Keroh Pantai Hospital Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr Fabian Chong Tien Fook said OM is a bacterial infection that will cause pain in the joints around the bones, causing the formation of pus and leaving the bone permanently damaged.
“It is quite alarming that the number of patients admitted to hospitals due to the Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infection in the bone or bone marrow, becoming more and more rampant among children below the age of 12,” he told Bernama.
Starting with prolonged fever and cough, Dr Fabian said the germs in the throat or respiratory tract will enter the bloodstream and subsequently spread to the hips or knee joints.
Over time, the germs will cause inflammation in the infected areas such as the elbows, wrists or feet, and the children would refuse to walk.
For adults, Dr Fabian explained that it often occurs when there is surgical contamination at the operation theatre or the patient is involved in an accident where the victim suffers a broken bone or torn skin due to dirty surfaces such as roads.
“The human skin has the strongest defence, but when it is torn due to an accident or during surgery, the open wound would trigger Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infection up to 80 per cent,” he added.
Apart from Staphylococcus aureus, infections can also be caused by Escherichia coli (E Coli) bacteria, various types of germs that infect the lungs and those found in sewage or drain areas.
He said 90 per cent of the bacterial infection cases, either in children or adults, will lead to bone death and removal of the bacterial-infected bone.
“OM is also dormant which has the potential to recur in the future, especially if the patient gets into another accident, diagnosed with diabetes or needs to undergo dialysis.
“Hence, preliminary tests such as FBC (full blood count), ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate), and CRP (C-reactive protein, test to determine the level of infection in the body) as well as a bone biopsy to determine the type of bacteria should be conducted,” he said.
Aching pain in the affected areas, hot and red skin, ulcers or tiny holes of blood or pus, along with prolonged fever with cold sweats are the classic symptoms of the disease that allow the doctors to make an early diagnosis immediately.
Dr Fabian said taking antibiotics for at last least five weeks at the early stage is the most effective treatment so far, based on the types of bacteria, while surgery will be the last option.
“So, it is very important for parents, especially those with children aged up to 12 to consult the doctors if their children are showing the symptoms.
“The treatment will not only prevent the bacteria from damaging the bone marrow but also save the bone from being removed,” he said. — Bernama
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