Closed trauma, Mycoplasma hominis osteomyelitis, and the elusive diagnosis of Good's syndrome

Abstract

Mycoplasma hominis septic arthritis has a well-established association with hypogammaglobulinaemia, but is rarely seen in immunocompetent hosts. An association also exists with a closed trauma and a predisposition to M hominis bone infections. In this clinical case report, a patient with M hominis osteomyelitis following a closed trauma was diagnosed using 16S ribosomal studies, and led to the diagnosis of a severe underlying immunodeficiency syndrome known as Good's syndrome.

Figure 1

Admission x-ray of patient's right foot. Red arrow: bone destruction of the fourth metatarsal consistent with osteomyelitis.

Figure 2

CT imaging of the patient's chest. Red arrow: mediastinal mass measuring 9 cm × 6.7 cm × 8.0 cm in the anterior mediastinum. The pathology later confirmed a benign thymoma.