Two cases of sternal osteomyelitis due to Mycobacterium africanum: a casual or causal association

Jessica Mencarini; Sara Veloci; Maria Tullia Simonetti; Antonio Carocci; Massimo Meli; Enrico Tortoli; Gian Maria Rossolini; Alessandro Bartoloni; Filippo Bartalesi

doi:10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.05.006

Two cases of sternal osteomyelitis due to Mycobacterium africanum: a casual or causal association

Int J Mycobacteriol. 2016 Sep;5(3):354-356. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.05.006. Epub 2016 Jun 20.

Authors

Jessica Mencarini¹, Sara Veloci¹, Maria Tullia Simonetti², Antonio Carocci³, Massimo Meli³, Enrico Tortoli⁴, Gian Maria Rossolini⁵, Alessandro Bartoloni⁶, Filippo Bartalesi⁷

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
² Tuscany Regional Reference Centre for Mycobacteria, Microbiology and Virology Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
³ Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
⁴ Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Tuscany Regional Reference Centre for Mycobacteria, Microbiology and Virology Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
⁶ Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
⁷ Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27847025
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.05.006

Abstract

The sternal localization of bone and joint tuberculosis (TB) is rare, has an insidious clinical presentation, and usually affects young adults living in endemic areas. Mycobacterium africanum causes a relevant proportion of human TB in West Africa and in migrants from endemic countries. Here, we report two cases of sternal osteomyelitis due to M. africanum in migrants.

Keywords: Bone; Migrant; Tuberculosis; West Africa.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Africa
Humans
Male
Mycobacterium / classification*
Mycobacterium / isolation & purification*
Osteomyelitis / diagnostic imaging
Osteomyelitis / etiology*
Osteomyelitis / microbiology
Osteomyelitis / pathology*
Radiography, Thoracic
Sternum / diagnostic imaging
Sternum / pathology*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
Tuberculosis / diagnostic imaging
Tuberculosis / microbiology
Tuberculosis / pathology*
Young Adult