Bacteroides fragilis vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to anal dilatation.

Abstract

A case report of anaerobic vertebral osteomyelitis after anal dilatation. To present a patient with monomicrobial anaerobic vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to a previously undescribed source of infection. A 17-year-old boy presented with low back pain 3 months after anal dilatation. Physical examination, technetium-99m bone scan, plain radiograph, CT, and MRI studies of the lumbar spine were used to clinically diagnose lumbar osteomyelitis. Culture material from the involved disc was positive for Bacteroides fragilis. The patient recovered after 8 weeks of treatment with oral metronidazole. Bacteroides fragilis hematogenous osteomyelitis is a rare entity. This is the first reported case of such disease after anal dilatation.