Vertebral osteomyelitis: Nontypeable beta-lactamase-negative Haemophilus influenzae in an adult: Case report

Adult pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis due to Haemophilus influenzae is exceedingly rare. After a search of the literature, we deemed our case to be the seventh case of H. influenzae pyogenic osteomyelitis. Vertebral osteomyelitis in itself is a rarity. The most common organisms associated with vertebral osteomyelitis are Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Of the six previously reported cases of adult pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis due to H. influenzae, four of the six cases were caused by Type B H. influenzae, one case was attributed to Type C, and the other strain was not typed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.