A M. avium complex spondylodiscitis in a middle-aged woman with diabetes

Abstract

Spondylodiscitis, the inflammation of the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disk space, is the reason for low back pain in a minority of cases. This is caused by various pathogens. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for 17–39% of all the cases of spondylodiscitis. On the contrast, spondylodiscitis from non tuberculous mycobacteria is extremely rare in literature. We describe a 68 -year old diabetic woman which is the first case of bone marrow involvement by M. intracellulare (member of M avium complex)with spondylodiscitis.

Keywords

• Spondylodiscitis
• M. avium complex
• Bone marrow