The article by Wysenbeek et al 1 provides intriguing insights to the 15 day rabbit Staphylococcus epidermidis infectious arthritis model. However, challenge must be made to their conclusion that injection of corticosteroids into the infected joint seems to be harmless, in the setting of infectious arthritis.

Several issues render this model unacceptable for establishing safety of intra-articular corticosteroids in the setting of infectious arthritis. Staphylococcus epidermidis has low infectivity and pathogenicity compared with most articular pathogens. …