STAPHYLOCOCCAL VERTEBRAL OSTEOMYELITIS - CASE-REPORT

A 65-year old male Saudi patient presented with rapidly progressive qu adriparesis. Lower cervical myelopathy was associated with radiologica l features of bone destruction, inflammatory disease of the spine and a paravertebral mass. Although tuberculosis and brucellosis are more c ommonly responsible for this clinical picture in our practice, Staphyl ococcus aureus was isolated from tissue recovered at surgery. He has b een followed up for 12 months and has made an almost complete recovery after surgical decompression of spinal cord and a 2-month course of i ntravenous flucloxacillin. This case underscores the need for tissue d iagnosis in patients presenting with inflammatory paravertebral swelli ngs even in areas endemic for tuberculosis and brucellosis.