title: Nocardia brasiliensis vertebral osteomyelitis and epidural abscess.
abstract: Nocardia species exist in the environment as a saprophyte; it is found worldwide in soil and decaying plant matter. They often infect patients with underlying immune compromise, pulmonary disease or history of trauma or surgery. The diagnosis of nocardiosis can be easily missed as it mimics many other granulomatous and neoplastic disease. We report a 69-year-old man who presented with chronic back pain and paraparesis. He was found to have Nocardial brasiliensis vertebral osteomyelitis and epidural abscess. Laminectomy and epidural wash out was performed but with no neurological recovery. This is the second reported case of N brasiliensis vertebral osteomyelitis in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Hussam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ammar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013131:Spine
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents