Spondylodiscitis due to Clostridium ramosum infection in an immunocompetent elderly patient

J Clin Microbiol. 2003 May;41(5):2223-6. doi: 10.1128/JCM.41.5.2223-2226.2003.

Abstract

The first ever case of spondylodiscitis caused by Clostridium ramosum in an elderly immunocompetent patient has been reported. C. ramosum is usually an intestinal bacterium but may occasionally be isolated in clinical specimens as an opportunistic pathogen. This report shows that this anaerobic organism can cause bone tropism without there having been any contamination due to spinal surgery. The infection cleared after empirical therapy using intravenous amoxicillin and oral metronidazole.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Base Sequence
  • Clostridium / classification
  • Clostridium / genetics
  • Clostridium / isolation & purification
  • Clostridium / pathogenicity*
  • Clostridium Infections / etiology*
  • Clostridium Infections / immunology
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Discitis / etiology*
  • Discitis / immunology
  • Discitis / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Immunocompetence
  • Male
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal