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First confirmed case of spondylodiscitis with epidural abscess caused by Parvimonas micra

Shiro Endo1, Tadanobu Nemoto2, Hisakazu Yano1

  • 1Department of Infection Control and Laboratory Diagnostics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy : Official Journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy
|July 20, 2015
PubMed

Insights

This case study highlights the first instance of spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess caused by Parvimonas micra in a healthy individual. Prompt identification and targeted antibiotic therapy led to successful patient recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Case Study

Background:

  • Parvimonas micra, a Gram-positive anaerobic coccus, is infrequently associated with severe infections in healthy individuals.
  • Spondylodiscitis, an infection of the spine, often involves challenging diagnosis, particularly when caused by anaerobic bacteria.

Observation:

  • A healthy woman presented with low back and anterior left thigh pain, indicative of spinal infection.
  • Advanced imaging (MRI and CT) revealed lesions at the L2 and L3 vertebral bodies.
  • Surgical and needle biopsy specimens confirmed the presence of Parvimonas micra through 16S rRNA and MALDI-TOF identification.

Findings:

  • This report details the first confirmed case of spondylodiscitis with epidural abscess caused by Parvimonas micra in an otherwise healthy patient.
  • The identified Parvimonas micra strain demonstrated significant sensitivity to antimicrobial agents.
  • Successful treatment involved surgical debridement, sulbactam/ampicillin, and oral metronidazole over 10 weeks.

Implications:

  • Accurate identification of causative microorganisms, including anaerobic bacteria, is crucial for effective spondylodiscitis management.
  • This case underscores the potential for Parvimonas micra to cause severe infections and the importance of considering anaerobic pathogens in spinal infections.
  • The findings support prompt and precise microbiological diagnosis for optimizing antimicrobial therapy and patient outcomes in complex infections.
Keywords:
16S ribosomal RNAGram-positive anaerobic cocciParvimonas micraSpondylodiscitis with epidural abscess

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