[Infectious spondylitis]

Abstract

Infectious spondylitis usually involves osteomyelitis in two adjacent vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disc (spondylodiscitis). The most common location is the lumbar spine, followed by the thoracic spine. Symptoms are nonspecific, leading to a delay in diagnosis, in many cases, of several weeks. A large number of infectious agents can cause vertebral osteomyelitis, usually reaching the vertebra by hematogenous spread. The most commonly isolated agent is Staphylococcus aureus. Spondylitis remains the most common skeletal manifestation of tuberculosis. As with other forms of osteomyelitis, microbiological diagnosis is essential for the choice of adequate therapy. The majority of cases can be cured with antibiotic therapy alone.