Abstract
A 65-year-old man with 9 months of radicular lower back pain was admitted for treatment of presumed malignancy of the lumbar spine. Lumbar radiographs showed destruction of the L4-L5 endplates and obliteration of the disc space, which was more compatible with an infectious process. After 2 different closed biopsy specimens failed to reveal an etiologic organism, N. asteroides was cultured from an open biopsy sample of the affected vertebrae. This and 8 other cases in the English literature of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by N. asteroides are reviewed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 455-458 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Rheumatology |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - 1991 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Discites
- Low back pain
- Nocardia asteroides
- Vertebral osteomyelitis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rheumatology
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology