2 CASES OF DISCITIS DUE TO PROPIONIBACTERIUM-ACNES

We report two cases of discitis due to Propionibacterium acnes and rev iew previously published cases of bone and joint infections in which t his organism was recovered as a pure culture, P. acnes is an anaerobic organism usually considered a normal inhabitant of the skin but capab le of producing a variety of infections including discitis, osteitis, arthritis, and chest nail osteitis, Most patients were immunocompetent , A few infections occurred spontaneously, whereas others were seconda ry to a break in the skin or to implantation of foreign material into the body for instance during internal fixation of a fracture or arthro plasty. Cases of P. acnes chest wall infection have been reported in p atients with palmoplantar pustulosis or chronic or multifocal osteitis , supporting a role for P. acnes in SAPHO syndrome.