**Infections in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Challenges to and Chances for the Microbiological Laboratory**

Peter Schäfer1, Bernd Fink2, Dieter Sandow1 and Lars Frommelt3 *1MVZ Labor Ludwigsburg, Wernerstrasse 33, Ludwigsburg, 2Department of Joint Replacement, General and Rheumatic Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Clinic Markgröningen, Kurt-Lindemann-Weg 10, Markgröningen, 3Institute for Infectiology, ENDO-Clinic Hamburg, Holstenstrasse 2, Hamburg Germany* 
