A NOVEL SEROLOGICAL IMMUNOASSAY FOR THE GENUS LEVEL DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTHETIC JOINT INFECTION: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

The diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections (PJI) represents a critical challenge for orthopedic surgeons and infectious disease specialists. The diagnosis of PJI is often delayed because non-invasive assays lack sensitivity and specificity. A novel multiplex immunoassay detecting antibodies against Staphylococci, Propionibacteria and Streptococcus agalactiae was developed and its performance evaluated in a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional study.The Luminex-based assay measures serum IgG against a proprietary panel of recombinant purified antigens from Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Streptococcus agalactiae and Propionibacterium acnes. Patients undergoing revision arthroplasty were included over a 2-year period (from 2012 up to 2014) in two French reference centers in compliance with IRB and French regulations. PJI cases were defined microbiologically (≥2 intraoperative samples yielding the same microorganism) for confrontation of microbiologica...