Introduction:

Infections of bones, joints and soft parts have not only had an increasing incidence in recent years at ¨Paquito González Cueto¨ University Pediatric Hospital in Cienfuegos, but also a more serious evolution.

Objective:

Describe clinical and epidemiological aspects of severe soft tissues, bones and joints infections.

Methods:

The computerized database of the Department of Statistics of ¨Paquito González¨ Pediatric Hospital was reviewed to identify all discharges from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with a diagnosis of cellulite or soft tissue abscess, fasciitis, myositis, osteomyelitis, severe sepsis and septic shock, in the period from January 2009 to December 2019. The following variables were studied: location of skin and soft tissue infection, age group, year of discharge, and sepsis origin location.

Results:

There were no differences in the incidence between age groups. Limb cellulite was the most common clinical form. An increasing incidence of soft tissue infections was found. Bone and joint infections represented the second most frequent origin location of severe sepsis and septic shock.

Conclusions:

There has been an increase in skin and soft tissue infections that require admission to the intensive care unit of the aforementioned hospital in the last 11 years. These infections, together with bone and joint infections, constitute a health problem since they cause severe sepsis and septic shock with a significant incidence.

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