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Haemophilus influenzae as a cause of Brodie's abscess in an infant

L E Kurlandsky, P H Quinn, E M Sills

    The Johns Hopkins Medical Journal
    |January 1, 1979
    PubMed

    Insights

    Brodie's abscess, a rare subacute osteomyelitis in infants, was caused by Haemophilus influenzae, a previously unrecognized pathogen. This case highlights diagnostic challenges in infants with this bone infection.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric infectious diseases
    • Skeletal infections
    • Microbiology

    Background:

    • Brodie's abscess is a specific type of subacute osteomyelitis.
    • Osteomyelitis is rare in infants, making diagnosis challenging.
    • The typical pathogens for Brodie's abscess are well-documented.

    Observation:

    • This case report details an extremely rare occurrence of Brodie's abscess in an infant.
    • The infant patient presented with clinical, radiological, and pathological features consistent with Brodie's abscess.
    • Diagnostic difficulties were encountered due to the patient's age and atypical presentation.

    Findings:

    • Haemophilus influenzae was identified as the causative pathogen.
    • This marks the first documented instance of Haemophilus influenzae causing Brodie's abscess.
    • The pathogen has not been previously associated with subacute osteomyelitis in general.

    Implications:

    • This finding expands the known spectrum of pathogens causing Brodie's abscess.
    • It suggests Haemophilus influenzae should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infant osteomyelitis.
    • Awareness of these diagnostic pitfalls is crucial for timely and accurate infant osteomyelitis management.

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