Disseminated Nocardia farcinica infection presenting as a paravertebral abscess in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Disseminated Nocardia infections occur particularly in immunosuppressed hosts and are most often due to Nocardia farcinica, Nocardia nova, and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica. Here, we report an unusual case of disseminated N. farcinica infection presenting as a paravertebral abscess in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Unexpected Death by Sepsis of Staphylococcus aureus with Infective Endocarditis and Paravertebral Abscess in a Fisherman during Sailing out for Fish: An Autopsy Case / 대한법의학회지

Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of human infections, and it is also a commensal that colonizes the nose, axillae, vagina, throat, or skin surfaces. S. aureus has increasingly been recognized as a cause of severe invasive illness, and individuals colonized with this pathogen are subsequently at increased risk of its infections. S. aureus infection is a major cause of skin, soft tissue, respiratory, bone, joint, and endovascular disorders, and staphylococcal bacteremia may cause abscess, endocarditis, pneumonia, metastatic infection, foreign body infection, or sepsis. The authors describe a case of a fisherman who died of sepsis on a fishing boat during sailing out for fish. The autopsy shows paravertebral abscess, pus in the pericardial sac, infective endocarditis with vegetation on the aortic valve cusp, myocarditis, pneumonia and nephritis with bacterial colonization, and also liver cirrhosis and multiple gastric ulcerations.

Tubercular Spinal Paravertebral Abscesses Presenting as Multiple Dermal Sinuses in HIV Reactive Patients.

Extra Pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for more than 50% of the cases of Tuberculosis in HIV-reactive patients and the clinically presentation is often atypical. EPTB sometimes poses diagnostic dilemmas as conventional diagnostic methods have a poor diagnostic yield and definite diagnosis may be delayed. Here we report a case of Spinal TB who uncommonly presented with multiple non healing sinuses in the Thoracolumbar region. Diagnosis was clinched by clinical presentation, +ve Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) accompanied by suggestive Magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Successful management of severe acute noncancer pain by using morphine in a patient with bacterial spondylitis and paravertebral abscess: a case report

Opioids are potent analgesics mostly used for severe cancer and chronic noncancer pain. However, their efficacy and safety in acute noncancer pain are debatable. We describe the case of an 82-year-old male with severe back pain due to bacteremic Staphylococcus aureus spondylitis and paravertebral abscess. Pain in such cases is usually controlled by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, this patient was administered morphine (oral, then intravenous; up to 23 mg/day) because acetaminophen and NSAIDs did not ameliorate pain. Considerable pain relief was achieved without toxicity, and the dose of morphine was tapered through 35 days. No symptoms of addiction or withdrawal were observed during or after this 35-day period. Thus, morphine appears to be safe and effective in the management of severe, acute noncancer pain in patients with bacterial spondylitis. Palliat Care Res 2010; 5(2): 327-331

Osteomielitis vertebral piógena / Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis

La osteomielitis vertebral piógena (OVP) es una localización poco frecuente (2-7%) Se confirma con el aislamiento de un microorganismo de una vértebra, disco intervertebral, absceso epidural o paravertebral. Se describe una serie de casos por la infrecuente presentación de esta enfermedad, que puede ser consulta inicial en los servicios de clínica médica y por su sintomatología inespecífica que supone una dificultad diagnóstica. Tanto la columna lumbar como la dorsal fueron los sitios más afectados. El dolor dorsolumbar y la paraparesia fueron los síntomas más frecuentes de presentación. En ocho pacientes se aislaron Staphylococcus aureus, en uno Escherichia coli y en el restante Haemophylus sp. Se observó leucocitosis sólo en tres pacientes, y en dos velocidad de sedimentación globular mayor de 100 mm/h. Los diez pacientes presentaron imágenes características de osteomielitis vertebral piógena en la resonancia nuclear magnética. Dentro de las complicaciones, los abscesos paravertebrales y epidurales fueron los más frecuentes (en cinco enfermos). Además, un paciente presentó empiema pleural. De los diez pacientes de esta serie, siete recibieron inicialmente tratamiento médico empírico y luego específico para el germen aislado. En los restantes el tratamiento fue guiado de acuerdo al antibiograma. A dos enfermos fue necesario realizarles laminectomía descompresiva por compromiso de partes blandas y a otros dos estabilización quirúrgica por inestabilidad espinal, observándose buena evolución en todos los casos. Esta serie demuestra que, ante un paciente con dolor dorsolumbar y síntomas neurológicos se deberá tener en cuenta esta entidad para evitar un retraso en el tratamiento.

Pyogenic osteomyelitis seldom affects the spine (2-7%). It is diagnosed by the isolation of a bacterial agent in the vertebral body, the intervertebral disks or from paravertebral or epidural abscesses. We report a retrospective study of ten patients who attended a medical clinic with this disease to emphasize its unusual presentation and difficult diagnosis. Lumbar and dorsal spine were the most common sites affected. Dorsolumbar pain and paraparesis were the most frequent symptoms. Staphylococcus aureus were isolated in eight patients, Escherichia coli in one and Haemophilus sp. in other Leukocytosis was observed in only three patients. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was higher than 100 mm in the first hour in two patients. Typical images of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis were observed in all these patients with magnetic resonance imaging. The main complications were paravertebral and epidural abscesses that were found in five patients. One patient also presented an empyema, seven of them initially received empiric medical treatment, and later specific antibiotics according to the culture and sensitivity results. The rest of the patients were initially treated according to the sensitivity of the isolated germ. Surgical intervention was performed in two patients to drain soft tissue involvement, and in two other to stabilize the spine. All four surgical patients had a full recovery. This report is intended to point out that in patients with dorsolumbar pain and neurological symptoms pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis is a possible diagnosis and has to be treated without delay.

A Case of Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis with Pelvic Bone and Paravertebral Abscess

Coccidioidomycosis results from inhaling the spores (arthroconidia) of Coccidioides species (Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii), and is endemic in the southern United States. An even smaller proportion of all infections result in illnesses related to extrapulmonary infection. We report a case of coccidioidomycosis manifested as pelvic bone and paravertebral abscess in a Korean who has visited LA. Culture and pathology from the pelvic bone and paravertebral mass revealed Coccidioides immitis, and a diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was made.

A Case of Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis with Pelvic Bone and Paravertebral Abscess

Coccidioidomycosis results from inhaling the spores (arthroconidia) of Coccidioides species (Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii), and is endemic in the southern United States. An even smaller proportion of all infections result in illnesses related to extrapulmonary infection. We report a case of coccidioidomycosis manifested as pelvic bone and paravertebral abscess in a Korean who has visited LA. Culture and pathology from the pelvic bone and paravertebral mass revealed Coccidioides immitis, and a diagnosis of disseminated coccidioidomycosis was made.