Background:

The most common etiological agents in periprosthetic infections are Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The frequency of these infections are found in knee replacement with 0.68 to 1.60% compared to the hip with 0.67 to 2.4%.

Objective:

To identify what are the most common etiologic agents in periprosthetic infections in elderly patients with primary hip and knee surgery.

Material and methods:

An observational study, transverse and retrospective case series was performed in a period from June 2011 to December 2014, patients over 60 years with a diagnosis of periprosthetic infection by two positive cultures with antibiograma.

Results:

62 patients were evaluated 59.7% were infections of knee and hip 40.3%, 59% were infections by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus 22%. The best sensitivity reported antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was 40.3%. The largest penicillin G resistance 32.2%.

Conclusion:

The most common causative agents were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.