I assume they followed standard infection prevention protocols before the cortisol? I wonder if the knee infection wasn’t already in place before the injection. Maybe the needle drug that bacteria through more tissue on its way in and out. You will likely never know for sure.

I had gout once and It was dreadful. I tested negative for it tho. Later when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, my Doc surmised that the ”gout” was likely my first RA symptom.