Vertebral osteomyelitis in Qatar.
Twenty-eight cases of vertebral osteomyelitis were diagnosed at Hamad General Hospital in Qatar between January 1988 and December 1991: 16 (57.2%) cases were tuberculous spondylitis, 6 (21.4%) Brucella spondylitis, 3 (10.7%) Staphylococcus aureus spondylitis, 2 (7.1%) Salmonella spondylitis, and 1 (3.6%) Pseudomonas cepacia spondylitis. Plain vertebral x-ray films and CT scans were abnormal in all patients. Bone and gallium scans were abnormal in 87.5% and 64% of cases respectively. Clinical manifestations, haematological and radiological investigations were not able to differentiate between the causes. Serological tests were helpful in diagnosing Brucella spondylitis. CT-guided needle biopsy was able to identify the aetiology in 90% of cases. We conclude that invasive tests are still needed to establish the microbiological diagnosis and to guide antimicrobial therapy in most cases of vertebral osteomyelitis.
Al Soub
H
H
Department of Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
Uwaydah
A K
AK
Hussain
A H
AH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002002:Brucella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012447:Sacrum / Q000382:microbiology; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification