Spinal Tuberculosis (Pott's Disease): A Case Report and Clinical Considerations

Pott's disease (PD), also known as spinal tuberculosis, accounts for an extremely low percentage of all tuberculosis (TB) cases and typically manifests secondary to an extra-spinal infection through the hematogenous spread. The thoracolumbar vertebrae are the most affected sites in PD, although other spinal regions can also be involved, albeit less frequently. Back pain is the predominant presenting symptom. Systemic symptoms such as fever and weight loss may occur in PD but are more commonly observed in patients with disseminated disease or concurrent extra-spinal TB. This report presents the case of a 26-year-old Asian woman, born outside the United Kingdom, with no significant past medical history or recent travel to TB-endemic areas, who was diagnosed with spinal TB following a series of medical evaluations. MRI of the spine revealed findings highly suggestive of tuberculous spondylitis. She is currently undergoing treatment and showing significant improvement. This case underscores an atypical patient profile for spinal TB, highlighting the necessity for awareness and consideration of this diagnosis even in unusual patient demographics.