Rare Case of Osteomyelitis Caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a rare opportunistic aerobe that has rarely been documented in the literature as a causative agent for osteomyelitis. It can present with antibiotic resistance, making treatment without operative management challenging. We present the case of a 51-year-old male with a past medical history of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. The patient presented to a clinic with a grade 2 infection to the right fifth digit, as defined by the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot, and was subsequently admitted for intravenous antibiotics and operative management. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormal signal of the phalanges of the fifth toe with sparing of the base of the proximal phalanx, consistent with osteomyelitis. An arthroplasty of the digit yielded pathology consistent with acute osteomyelitis and culture of Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Surgical debridement and culture-directed antibiotic therapy resulted in clinical cure. In chronic diabetic foot ulcerations, osteomyelitis should be considered, and Achromobacter xylosoxidans should be acknowledged as a potentially resistant organism. Therefore, it is paramount that a multidisciplinary approach is used when treating this condition.