Bacterial DNA screening to characterize surgical site infection risk in orthopaedic patients.

Purpose: To provide an initial characterization of relevant bacterial DNA profiles for patients undergoing closed-fracture fixation or total joint arthroplasties.

Patients And Methods: Swabs were collected and analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction from adult patients undergoing closed-fracture fixation or total shoulder, knee, or hip arthroplasties.

Results: Bacterial DNA profiles varied across the different orthopaedic patient populations, and produced uncharacteristic profile shifts with direct relevance to each clinical infection.