title: Spontaneous corynebacterium spondylodiskitis in an immunocompetent patient: A case report and literature review.
abstract: Spontaneous Corynebacterium spondylodiskitis is an unusual diagnosis of spondylodiskitis, especially in healthy patients without any significant past medical history.
  
  
  
  We describe the case of a 78-year-old man with progressive low back pain for 3 months, irradiating down the lower limbs through L5 and S1 root pathways, associated with distal muscle weakness in both lower limbs. He had no history of trauma or medical problems. Laboratory investigation revealed elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, without leukocytosis. The magnetic resonance findings demonstrated an extensive L5-S1 spondylodiskitis and L4-L5 anterolisthesis. Prior to spinopelvic fixation and posterolateral fusion, a substantial debridement was performed. The obtained tissue samples were submitted to pathological and microbiological studies, which identified Corynebacterium infection.
  
  
  
  One month after surgery, the pain diminished dramatically and the CRP titer diminished significantly.
  
  
  
  Although cases are very rare, spontaneous Corynebacterium spondylodiskitis, with substantial invasion of the spine, may develop in patients lacking any history of medical or surgical problems.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Guive
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad Hosseinzadeh
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bakhtevari
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nabizadeh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabbari
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samadian
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Loghman e Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Omidvar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rezaei
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Corynebacterium; Low back pain; Spondylodiskitis; Spontaneous