Vertebral Discitis in a Young Patient With No Comorbidities Caused by Salmonella enterica Serovar Agbeni Infection: A Case Report

Abstract

Vertebral discitis is an infection of the vertebrae most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and usually presents in patients with preexisting medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus. This disease process involves the invasion of bacteria into the vertebral disc through one of three basic routes: hematogenous spread from a distant site, direct trauma due to iatrogenic causes, or due to a contiguous spread from adjacent soft tissue infection. Here, we present a 24-year-old Asian male with no past medical history or history of trauma who presented with nonspecific symptoms of fever and nasopharyngitis. The patient subsequently developed persistent thoracic back pain that failed multiple lines of treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine showed vertebral discitis, and cultures confirmed Salmonella being the etiologic agent for his symptoms. Salmonella discitis is extremely rare, with only about 0.45% of these cases being reported in the literature. Even more uncommon is the isolation of Salmonella enterica serovar Agbeni in a young patient without comorbidities. This case report highlights the importance of including Salmonella as a possible causative agent in patients who present with signs and symptoms of vertebral discitis.