tetracycline and Discitis

A 59-year-old male farmer presented with a rare case of spondylodiscitis as a manifestation of systemic brucellosis. The patient presented with radicular pain and restricted mobility of the spine due to localized muscle spasm in addition to systemic complaints. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated discovertebral involvement at the L4-5 intervertebral space, indicating infectious spondylodiscitis. The Rose-Bengal test was positive and the serum antibody titer was 1/1280. The patient was treated with streptomycin combined with tetracycline plus rifampicin, with complete recovery. Early diagnosis is important and prompt antibrucellar chemotherapy is effective in most cases. Therefore, spondylodiscitis due to brucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of spinal infections.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Brucellosis; Discitis; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Rifampin; Streptomycin; Tetracycline

This case report describes infection in a lumbar disc in a healthy young man with an organism of low pathogenicity. The patient was taking a prolonged course of antibiotics at the time the infection occurred.. To describe this unique case of infective spondylodiscitis.. To the authors' knowledge, spinal infection with Enterobacter agglomeranshas never been reported. This organism is a transient gut colonizer, and may have established itself secondary to the patient's prolonged ingestion of tetracycline for acne.. This 22-year-old farmer had spontaneous lumbar back pain. Radiologic investigations showed an abnormality in the L4-L5 disc region, and together with other investigations, were suggestive of infection. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgical aspiration.. Antibiotic therapy was administered, and the patient made a complete recovery. Follow-up radiographs showed a complete loss of the L4-L5 disc space with only minimal bone destruction.. A unique cause of infective lumbar discitis is presented. Several features of this case are unusual. The magnetic resonance findings were not readily diagnostic. The cultured organism is usually nonpathogenic. The infection may have been secondary to prolonged tetracycline therapy.

Topics: Acne Vulgaris; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Discitis; Enterobacter; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Humans; Low Back Pain; Lumbar Vertebrae; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Radiography; Tetracycline; Tetracycline Resistance

Topics: Adolescent; Back Pain; Blood Sedimentation; Calcium Sulfate; Casts, Surgical; Child; Discitis; Humans; Infant; Inflammation; Intervertebral Disc; Radiography; Rest; Spinal Diseases; Suppuration; Tetracycline