Cervical Spine Spondylitis with an Epidural Abscess in a Patient with Brucellosis: A Case Report
Article Category: Case Report
Published Online: Aug 09, 2019
Page range: 103 - 106
Received: Dec 29, 2018
Accepted: May 15, 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2019-0013
Keywords
© 2019 Mohammad Reza Hasanjani Roushan, Soheil Ebrahimpour, Zeinab Mohseni Afshar, Arefeh Babazadeh, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.
Introduction
Human brucellosis, the most prevalent zoonotic disease worldwide, is a systemic infection which can involve several organs. Among musculoskeletal complaints, spondylitis is the most frequent complication of brucellosis and primarily affects the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. The involvement of the cervical spine is infrequent.
Case report
This case report concerns an unusual case of cervical spine spondylitis with an epidural abscess due to Brucella in a 43-year-old man. The diagnosis was based on the patient being domiciled in an endemic region, his symptoms and his occupation. Clinical outcomes improved following antimicrobial therapy of rifampin, doxycycline, and gentamycin, and were confirmed radiologically.
Conclusion
Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for these patients. The timely commencement of medical treatment can help prevent surgery.