An unusual cause of an epidural abscess.
A previously well 30-year-old man presented with severe progressive back pain, joint pain and fever. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed an epidural abscess. A sexual history revealed both risk factors for and previous symptoms of a sexually acquired infection. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from a rectal swab and from a wrist aspirate, consistent with disseminated gonococcal infection. The epidural abscess resolved clinically and radiologically after treatment for N. gonorrhoeae with ceftriaxone.
van Hal
Sebastiaan J
SJ
Department of Infectious Diseases, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Post
Jeffrey J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone