Eikenella corrodens vertebral osteomyelitis. A case report and literature review.

Abstract

A debilitated 73-year-old white man was diagnosed with back pain secondary to acute hematogenous Eikenella corrodens vertebral osteomyelitis on the basis of history and physical examination, radiographs, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and open biopsy of the L3 vertebral body. A rare cause of vertebral osteomyelitis, possibly reported only once before in the world literature, E. corrodens is a facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacillus and a normal oral inhabitant. E. corrodens should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis and can be managed with immobilization and long-term intravenous antibiotics.