Spondylodiscitis due to an emergent fungal pathogen: Blastoschizomyces capitatus, a case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

The study includes a case report and a literature review. The main objective of this study is to present a case of spondylodiscitis due to a fungal pathogen, Blastoschizomyces capitatus and to review the published literature on this emergent fungus in etiology of spondylodiscitis, and osteomyelitis. Osteoarticular involvement due to B. capitatus has been reported in six cases, and vertebral involvement has been seen in five of them. All of these cases had underlying malignancy. Infection is usually advanced at presentation. Case notes and online databases were reviewed. Organism was isolated from bone material in all of the cases and antibiotic treatment by antifungal agents cured the infection. We present another case of infectious spondylodiscitis due to B. capitaus, which is reported first in Turkey and tried to attract attendance to this emergent fungal pathogen as an etiologic agent of spine infections in cancer patients.

• Authors: Aygul Dogan Celik, Resat Ozaras, Serda Kantarcioglu, Ali Mert, Fehmi Tabak, Recep Ozturk
• Journal: Rheumatology international (Rheumatol Int) Vol. 29 Issue 10 Pg. 1237-41 (Aug 2009) ISSN: 1437-160X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19370350 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Naphthalenes
• Itraconazole
• Amphotericin B
• Fluconazole
• Terbinafine
• Ketoconazole

Topics

• Aged
• Amphotericin B (pharmacology)
• Antifungal Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Dipodascus (drug effects, isolation & purification, pathogenicity)
• Discitis (microbiology)
• Fluconazole (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Itraconazole (pharmacology)
• Ketoconazole (pharmacology)
• Lumbar Vertebrae (diagnostic imaging, microbiology, pathology, surgery)
• Male
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Naphthalenes (pharmacology)
• Opportunistic Infections (drug therapy)
• Radiography
• Terbinafine
• Treatment Outcome