Infect Chemother.  2012 Dec;44(6):512-515. 10.3947/ic.2012.44.6.512.

A Case of Bacillus licheniformis Spondylitis and Bacteremia in a Patient with Lung Cancer

• Kim HS
• Lee EJ
• Bae EJ
• Kim MK
• Hur J
• Cho OH
• Kang DH
• Kim S
• Jun JB
• Bae IG

• KMID: 1806945
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2012.44.6.512

Abstract

Bacillus licheniformis is an aerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rod bacteria usually found in the environment. Infections with B. licheniformis are rare and usually associated with an immunocompromised state, trauma, and an indwelling catheter. We report a case of bacteremic B. licheniformis spondylitis following vertebroplasty in a patient with lung cancer.

Keyword

Bacillus species; Spondylitis; Bacteremia

MeSH Terms

Bacillus
Bacteremia
Bacteria
Catheters, Indwelling
Humans
Lung
Lung Neoplasms
Spondylitis
Vertebroplasty

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 MRI image showing compression deformities on the T11 and L5 vertebral bodies. The L1 vertebral body was in a vertebroplasty state. White arrow: linear enhancing area in T12-L2 level.

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  Figure 2 Pathologic analysis of the T12 vertebral body (A) showed that the bony tissue was surrounded by plasma cells, lymphocytes, and granulocytes (black arrow) (H & E stain, ×100). The L1 vertebral body (B) showed a diffuse necrosis of marrow cells and osteocytic lacunae (black arrow) as well as fat necrosis (empty arrow) in the marrow space (H & E stain, ×200).

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