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Proteus vertebral osteomyelitis

Tuck Yean Yong1, Jordan Yuanzhi Li

  • 1Department of General Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia. tuck.yong@health.sa.gov.au

International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
|April 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Proteus mirabilis is a rare cause of vertebral osteomyelitis, with only 21 reported cases in 75 years. Consider this organism in patients with recent urinary tract infections or urological surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Orthopedics

Background:

  • Osteomyelitis, particularly vertebral osteomyelitis, is most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Proteus species are infrequent pathogens in bone infections.

Observation:

  • Vertebral osteomyelitis attributed to Proteus organisms is exceptionally rare, with limited case reports over several decades.
  • This specific bacterial cause is noted in only 21 instances within the last 75 years.

Findings:

  • Proteus mirabilis should be considered as a potential causative agent for vertebral osteomyelitis.
  • Its occurrence may be linked to recent urinary tract infections or prior urological procedures.

Implications:

  • Diagnosis requires biopsy to identify the specific pathogen, Proteus mirabilis.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is crucial for effective treatment of Proteus-induced vertebral osteomyelitis.

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