Case report: First reported case of spondylodiscitis caused by Gemella morbillorum in South Africa

Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is an uncommon but important clinical condition that often requires medical and/or surgical management. We report a case of spondylodiscitis caused by a rare pathogen, Gemella morbillorum. To date, worldwide, only six such cases of confirmed spondylodiscitis infection with this rare pathogen have been documented, and this is the first reported case in South Africa. The patient was a 55-year-old female who presented to us with a 1-month history of severe back pain radiating to her left leg. She reported to us that she visited the dentist around the time of onset of the symptoms. A workup showed raised inflammatory markers, and a positron emission tomography scan indicated features of discitis at level L2/L3. Tissue cultures from a biopsy identified G. morbillorum species infection, and she was treated successfully with antibiotics for 6 weeks. It is important to have a high index of suspicion when a patient has a history of dental work, and to rule out associated infection such as endocarditis. Treatment with culture-driven antibiotics yields good results.