Soonchunhyang Med Sci.  2011 Dec;17(2):143-146.

A Case of Spinal Epidural Abscess Due to Pneumococcal Bacteremia

• Min S
• Jeong J
• Lee M
• Yeo J
• Kim SH
• Baek J
• Lee JS
• Cheong MH

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) has been known to cause pneumonia, sinusitus, otitis media, meningitis, endocardiditis, myelitis and arthritis. Spinal epidural abscess by S. pneumoniae has been diagnosed rarely among the patients with spinal trauma, intravenous drug abuse, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, long term steroid use, chronic renal failure, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. We experienced a case of pneumococcal spinal epidural abscess occurred in 75-year-old female with L1 compression fracture since 4 years ago. Her spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed epidural abscess at the level from L3 to S1. S. pneumonia was identified on blood which was susceptible to penicillin. She was immediately treated with antibiotics and surgical exploration. The pneumococcal spinal epidural abscess is very unusual. Therefore, we report here this case with a brief review of the literature.

Keyword

Streptococcus pneumonia; Spinal epidural abscess; Bacteremia

MeSH Terms

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Aged
Alcoholism
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Arthritis
Bacteremia
Diabetes Mellitus
Epidural Abscess
Female
Fractures, Compression
Humans
Kidney Failure, Chronic
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meningitis
Myelitis
Otitis Media
Penicillins
Pneumonia
Spine
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Substance Abuse, Intravenous
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Penicillins