Actinomycosis affecting the spinal cord: a case report / Actinomicose comprometendo a medula espinhal: um relato de caso

Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic, suppurative, granulomatous infection caused by a group of gram-positive anaerobic bacteria belonging to the natural flora of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. It may involve several organs. This case study refers to pulmonary actinomycosis with chest wall involvement and cord compression in a 29-year-old male who presented with fever, cough, hemoptysis, neck pain, and paresis and plegia of the lower limbs of 5-month duration.

A actinomicose é uma infecção rara, crônica, supurativa e granulomatosa, causada por um grupo de bactérias anaeróbias Gram-positivas que pertencem à flora natural da cavidade oral, do aparelho gastrointestinal e urogenital. Pode envolver diversos órgãos. O estudo refere-se à actinomicose pulmonar com envolvimento da parede torácica e compressão medular em um paciente masculino com 29 anos que apresentava febre, tosse, hemoptise e cervicalgia, além de paresia e plegia em membros inferiores com cinco meses de evolução.

Epidural mass due to aspergillus flavus causing spinal cord compression--a case report and brief update.

Aspergillus infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is an uncommon disease. Most of the reported cases are of sinocranial spread and cases with contiguous spread to spinal cord from lung and other organs are uncommon. A case of pulmonary aspergillosis with extension to thoracic vertebrae forming a paraspinal mass resulting in neurological deficit due to Aspergillus flavus, is reported. The 43 year old patient did not have any obvious predisposing condition. He presented with loss of motor function and succumbed to the infection despite operative intervention and antifungal therapy. A brief update on CNS aspergillosis is presented along with detailed clinical, radiological and laboratory work up of the patient.