Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is an uncommon but important clinical condition that often requires medical and/or surgical management. We report a case of spondylodiscitis caused by a rare pathogen, Gemella morbillorum. To date, worldwide, only six such cases of confirmed spondylodiscitis i...
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| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2024-11-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2806 |
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| author | J Pillay N M van der Linden |
| author_facet | J Pillay N M van der Linden |
| author_sort | J Pillay |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is an uncommon but important clinical condition that often requires medical and/or surgical management. We report a case of spondylodiscitis caused by a rare pathogen, Gemella morbillorum. To date, worldwide, only six such cases of confirmed spondylodiscitis infection with this rare pathogen have been documented, and this is the first reported case in South Africa. The patient was a 55-year-old female who presented to us with a 1-month history of severe back pain radiating to her left leg. She reported to us that she visited the dentist around the time of onset of the symptoms. A workup showed raised inflammatory markers, and a positron emission tomography scan indicated features of discitis at level L2/L3. Tissue cultures from a biopsy identified G. morbillorum species infection, and she was treated successfully with antibiotics for 6 weeks. It is important to have a high index of suspicion when a patient has a history of dental work, and to rule out associated infection such as endocarditis. Treatment with culture-driven antibiotics yields good results.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5e068f7b9ec540eab11136a7005707cb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-5e068f7b9ec540eab11136a7005707cb2025-02-10T12:25:30ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352024-11-011141110.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i11.2022Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South AfricaJ Pillay0N M van der Linden1Mediclinic Kloof Hospital, Erasmuskloof, South Africa; Department of Orthopaedics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Orthopaedics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is an uncommon but important clinical condition that often requires medical and/or surgical management. We report a case of spondylodiscitis caused by a rare pathogen, Gemella morbillorum. To date, worldwide, only six such cases of confirmed spondylodiscitis infection with this rare pathogen have been documented, and this is the first reported case in South Africa. The patient was a 55-year-old female who presented to us with a 1-month history of severe back pain radiating to her left leg. She reported to us that she visited the dentist around the time of onset of the symptoms. A workup showed raised inflammatory markers, and a positron emission tomography scan indicated features of discitis at level L2/L3. Tissue cultures from a biopsy identified G. morbillorum species infection, and she was treated successfully with antibiotics for 6 weeks. It is important to have a high index of suspicion when a patient has a history of dental work, and to rule out associated infection such as endocarditis. Treatment with culture-driven antibiotics yields good results. https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2806spondylodiscitis |
| spellingShingle | J Pillay N M van der Linden Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa South African Medical Journal spondylodiscitis |
| title | Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa |
| title_full | Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa |
| title_short | Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa |
| title_sort | case report first reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by gemella morbillorum in south africa |
| topic | spondylodiscitis |
| url | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2806 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jpillay casereportfirstreportedcaseofspondylodiscitiscausedbygemellamorbilloruminsouthafrica AT nmvanderlinden casereportfirstreportedcaseofspondylodiscitiscausedbygemellamorbilloruminsouthafrica |