Infection of the bone is called?

Appeared in: DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

Osteomyelitis is the medical term for an infection of the bone, which also involves inflammation of the bone marrow.
The term is derived from Greek roots: 'osteo' (bone), 'myel' (marrow), and '-itis' (inflammation).
It is virtually always secondary to an infection, most commonly caused by pyogenic bacteria, with Staphylococcus aureus being responsible for 80-90% of cases.
The infection can reach the bone via the bloodstream (hematogenous), by spreading from a nearby infected area, or through direct injury like an open fracture.

Option A: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints. It is a 'wear and tear' condition, not an infection.
Option C: Osteochondritis is the inflammation of bone and cartilage at a joint. While it involves inflammation, it is not primarily a bacterial infection of the bone tissue itself and is often related to growth and stress on joints.
Option D: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and mass, making bones porous and fragile. It is a condition of bone loss, not infection.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Medical Terminology for Bone Pathologies helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must be vigilant for signs of osteomyelitis in at-risk patients (e.g., those with diabetes, open fractures, or recent orthopedic surgery), including localized pain, swelling, redness, and systemic fever.
Patient education is crucial as treatment often involves a long course of intravenous antibiotics (4-6 weeks) and may require surgical debridement. The nurse must teach about medication adherence, central line care, and wound management.
What if? - If the patient with osteomyelitis also has sickle cell disease, the most likely causative organism is Salmonella, not Staphylococcus aureus. This changes the presumptive antibiotic therapy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concepts in the question stem: 'infection' and 'bone'.
Next, analyze the options by breaking them down into their medical root words.
Recognize that 'Osteo-' is the prefix for bone, present in all options.
Focus on the suffixes: '-itis' means inflammation (a key sign of infection), '-arthritis' refers to a joint, '-porosis' means porous, and '-chondritis' refers to cartilage.
Combine the roots: 'Osteo' (bone) + 'myel' (marrow) + '-itis' (inflammation) directly translates to inflammation/infection of the bone and marrow, making it the most accurate answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pathology- ROBBINS & COTRAN PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASE 10TH Ed pp. 1184-1186, 1185-1187

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 1102-1104

Practise the full DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.