Vertebral infections caused by Haemophilus aphrophilus: case report and review

Objective: To review in detail clinical presentation, bacteriologic findings, associated conditions and treatment of Haemophilus aphrophilus vertebral osteomyelitis and to compare them to a case we report herein.

Methods: A Medline (National Library of Medicine) search of the literature was performed by using the key words H. aphrophilus, spondylodiscitis, discitis, and vertebral osteomyelitis. The references of the case reports were examined for additional cases, especially those cited in older articles that had not been entered onto the bibliographic database.

Results: A case report of spondylodiscitis due to H. aphrophilus in a 35-year-old patient with a history of dental abscess 7 months before admission is presented. The patient responded well to treatment with ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. To date, only 14 cases of H. aphrophilus vertebral osteomyelitis have been reported. They are usually reported in middle-aged patients, usually male. Most recent cases have been treated with fluoroquinolones. Duration of treatment usually ranges from 1 to 3 months.

Conclusions: H. aphrophilus is an uncommon cause of vertebral osteomyelitis. Patients are regularly cured by Antibiotic therapy, provided that a tissue biopsy is performed in order to isolate the causative bacterium.