An Atypical Case of Lactobacillus jensenii Discitis and Osteomyelitis

Lactobacillusspecies are generally considered beneficial and are not typically pathogenic in humans. Bloodstream and tissue infections are uncommon and usually occur in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 63-year-old female with Lactobacillus jensenii lumbosacral discitis and osteomyelitis, complicated by small bilateral psoas abscesses and myositis. L4-L5 lumbar biopsy confirmed the presence of L. jensenii via next-generation sequencing after conventional tissue and blood cultures were negative. The presumed etiology of this infection was a genitourinary source. The patient received piperacillin-tazobactam for six weeks, followed by a transition to amoxicillin-clavulanate as a consolidative regimen, completing a roughly two-month antimicrobial course. Her symptoms, including gait instability and recurrent falls, resolved satisfactorily, with no concerning recurrence after discontinuation of antibiotics.