Case report reveals multilevel spinal epidural abscess caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in an adult with uncontrolled diabetes, highlighting the risk of unusual pathogens in diabetic patients.
Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare, life-threatening infection that typically presents with fever, back pain, and neurologic deficits. Although most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, this case reviews a rare occurrence of a multilevel SEA caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in a 62-year-old female with uncontrolled type II diabetes mellitus. The patient initially presented with lower back pain and was subsequently diagnosed with a SEA complicated by hyperglycemia. A prompt diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed extensive abscess formation, leading to emergent neurosurgical intervention. Streptococcus agalactiae was identified as the causative organism through culture. The report emphasizes the challenges of early detection of SEA and highlights the importance of considering unusual pathogens in high-risk patients. Timely management is crucial to prevent permanent neurologic deficits and to achieve favorable outcomes.
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Kals et al. (2023) studied this question.
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