A Madura foot caused by the fungus Madurella mycetomatis is a rare condition in non-endemic countries, but should be included in the differential diagnosis in case of soft tissue swellings of the foot in patients who have been in mycetomatis-endemic regions, more specifically in immunocompromised patients, who are at risk of developing a (more severe) mycetoma infection. Adequate treatment is needed to prevent the progression and recurrence of a Madura foot.

Despite potential pharmacokinetic advantages, the local application of antibiotics in the treatment of periprosthetic joint infections has so far been associated with bad outcomes. This study shows a major advantage for the local application of antibiotics with calcium sulfate as the carrier material in the implant-retaining treatment of a periprosthetic joint infection of the hip.

Costs related to off-label expensive antibiotics used to treat bone and joint infections (BJIs) in a referral centre in France were analysed in this cohort study. Despite the large increase in the number of patients treated with these antibiotics, the overall costs remained stable (approximately EUR 1 million) and were helped by the appearance of generic molecules at lower prices. Production of generic antibiotics at low cost is essential to limit the financial burden of the management of BJIs.