Pediatric musculoskeletal infections are common globally and represent about 1-2% of all pediatric hospital admissions in the developed world and about 10-20% of admissions in the developing countries. If untreated or treated inadequately, pediatric bone and joint infections can cause significant mortality and morbidity. The functional and economic burden to the family and community at large also presents a significant public health problem.

This book serves as an evidence-based, comprehensive review of the current concepts for the early diagnosis and management of pediatric musculoskeletal infections. Currently, there are no comprehensive, easily accessible books on this topic. This first of its kind book also uses a multidisciplinary and global approach by including contributions from editors and authors worldwide. The long-term goal of this text is to help improve the quality of care provided to children with musculoskeletal infections improve patient safety, reduce the cost of care, and add value to the care provided to these children and thus reduce the economic burden.

Broken up into five sections, the first part of this text covers the epidemiology, microbiology, pathological consequences, antibiotic therapies, systemic effects, and imaging modalities of pediatric musculoskeletal infections. Section two takes a detailed look at acute pediatric musculoskeletal infections.  Infections discussed in this section include acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, pyomyositis, complex musculoskeletal infections, musculoskeletal infections in the neonate and acute surgical site infection after pediatric orthopedic surgery. Section three focuses on chronic osteomyelitis and its sequelae. Section four examines anatomic region-specific considerations in musculoskeletal infections. The topics that are expanded upon are epiphyseal osteomyelitis, Pediatric hand and foot infections, tuberculosis of the axial and the appendicular skeleton, and non-tuberculous infections of the spine. Finally, the fifth section includes an overview of less common musculoskeletal conditions such as, fungal infections, brucellosis, hydatid disease, gas gangrene, viral musculoskeletal infection and meningococcal infections.

Written by experts in the field, Pediatric Musculoskeletal Infections: Principles and Practice serves as an easily accessible resource for a global audience of healthcare providers from multiple disciplines to aid them in making informed decisions while managing pediatric bone and joint infections. Paediatricians, orthopedic surgeons, infectious disease physicians, radiologists, pathologists, family physicians and any other healthcare providers involved in the care of children with musculoskeletal infections will find immense value in this reference as will medical students, residents and fellows.

Mohan V Belthur, MD, MS, FRCS (Tr & Orth), FRCSC, Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, The University of Arizona College of Medicine & Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Dr Belthur is committed to providing the best orthopaedic care and service to his patients, by being compassionate, competent, and conscientious. He strives relentlessly to improve the quality of life of children, adolescents, and young adults with musculoskeletal problems by engaging, empathizing, educating, enlisting their help, and empowering them and their families. He is involved in clinical research projects that are impactful and make a difference to the lives of disabled children. He is passionate about teaching and mentoring learners from all walks of the health profession. He is interested in global health and works with non- profit organizations to reduce the burden of childhood musculoskeletal disorders in low- and middle-income countries.     

Ashish S Ranade, MBBS, MS Orth, FRCS(Glasg) Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Blooming Buds Centre for Pediatric Orthopaedics, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital & Research Centre, Pune, India

Dr Ranade is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon who is trained in the UK, USA, and India. He believes in giving the best treatment by putting patients and their families first. While practicing in India for more than a decade, he has seen musculoskeletal infections and their complications in diverse forms. The desire to give the best possible outcome to every child with such complex problems sparked his interest in musculoskeletal infections. He hopes that this book will help tremendously to all who treat musculoskeletal infections in children. In addition to a busy clinical practice, he is very much involved in teaching, writing, and doing clinical research. He strives to keep his knowledge up-to-date and loves to learn new things. 

Martin J Herman, MD, Professor of Orthopedic surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Dr. Herman has been practicing pediatric orthopedic surgery, teaching and mentoring trainees, and writing about pediatric orthopedic conditions for over 25 years. The diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal infections have evolved in many important ways. This textbook is the first of its kind that is solely dedicated to these complex and potentially catastrophic diseases. It is our hope that these pages will serve as a guide for those dedicated to the care of children with these varied conditions and who are committed to improving outcomes. 

James A Fernandes, MS Orth,FRCS (Glas),FRCS Tr&Orth(Eng), Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK

Mr Fernandes trained in India and the U.K. practicing in his specialist area of pediatric orthopedics since 1990. He has been a part of the centre of excellence in Sheffield since 2000 in paediatric limb reconstruction and general paediatric orthopaedics; training, mentoring and teaching many a fellow over the years and treating children of the U.K. and from Europe. His interests in musculoskeletal infections stem from his background in India where the burden is high and therefore his primary aim is to support those who treat especially the sequela of these infections. We hope this textbook will help not only the developed countries but most of all the LMIC countries where the burden and economic costs are the most. The knowledge from this book will help in one's wisdom.