Korean J Anesthesiol.  2010 Dec;59(Suppl):S233-S237. 10.4097/kjae.2010.59.S.S233.

A case of back pain caused by Salmonella spondylitis: A case report

• Choi YS
• Cho WJ
• Yun SH
• Lee SY
• Park SH
• Park JC
• Jang EH
• Shin HY

• KMID: 2237395
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2010.59.S.S233

Abstract

Salmonella spondylitis is a rare illness, and it generally occurs in patients who have already had sickle cell anemia, and it is even rarer in patients who are without sickle cell anemia. A 61-year-old male patient was hospitalized for the evaluation of his renal function and then treatment was started for his back pain. His back pain had developed about 2 months previously without any specific trauma. Only a bulging disc was detected on the initial lumbar MRI. Regarding his fever, it was diagnosed as possible atypical pneumonia, scrub typhus, etc., and multiple antibiotic therapy was administered. At the time of transfer, the leucocytes and hs-CRP were normal and the ESR was elevated. A diagnostic epidural block was performed for his back pain, but his symptoms were not improved. Lumbar MRI was performed again and it showed findings of infective spondylitis. Salmonella D was identified on the abscess culture and so he was diagnosed as suffering from Salmonella spondylitis. After antibiotic treatment, his back pain was improved and the patient was able to walk.

Keyword

Back pain; Salmonella; Spondylitis

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Back Pain
Fever
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pneumonia
Salmonella
Scrub Typhus
Spondylitis
Stress, Psychological