Preliminary Findings on The Use of Genomic Sequencing To Diagnose Orthopedic Infections

Description

In this presentation, Holly Wilkinson, a first-year PhD student at Kiel University, discusses her research focused on diagnosing periprosthetic joint infections using genomic sequencing. Based at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopedic Hospital, Holly highlights the serious complications associated with prosthetic joint replacements, particularly infections that can lead to pain, functional limitations, amputations, and sepsis.



Currently, the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection relies heavily on microbiological cultures, which have limitations such as time delays and the possibility of false negatives and positives, especially if a patient has received antibiotics prior to testing. Holly's research utilizes nanopore sequencing, a third-generation genomic technique that analyzes the DNA from fluid samples collected during revision surgeries.



The method she describes involves extracting DNA from prosthetic fluid samples and sequencing them to identify bacterial genomes. She has collected 51 samples so far, analyzing 18 of them to determine the presence and types of bacteria. Holly's aim is to improve bioinformatics analysis to reduce false positives and identify antibiotic resistance genes. Moreover, she plans to expand her research sample size and include additional types of patient samples, aiming for a total of 100 samples by the end of her PhD study.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-240488

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