Spinal epidural abscess due to Actinomyces israelii.
A 31-year-old man had back pain, weight loss, fever, and paraplegia, with radiographic evidence of a left upper lobe lesion and lytic lesions in ribs and vertebral bodies. Gallium uptake was increased over the spine. At surgery we found a paraspinal abscess due to Actinomyces israelii. The patient responded to surgery and penicillin therapy. This is the first report of a case of actinomycotic spinal epidural abscess necessitating emergency surgery since the advent of penicillin.
D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D004824:Epidural Space; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*