Pediatric osteoarticular infection update.

Musculoskeletal infections are a common cause of morbidity in children. A multitude of studies over the past few years have improved our knowledge and understanding of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric osteomyelitis and septic arthritis. Staphylococcus aureus continues to be the most common pathogen; however, new and innovative organism identification techniques are improving the speed and accuracy of diagnosis and increasing the identification of other less common organisms. Improved capability for patient assessment with a combination of advanced imaging studies and timely laboratory tests allow for a more thorough understanding of the disease process and more efficient patient care.