Epidural abscess caused by Haemophilus aphrophilus misidentified as Pasteurella species

Abstract

Haemophilus aphrophilus is one of the normal oropharyngeal flora and rarely implicated as a pathogen of spinal infection. A case of H. aphrophilus bacteremia complicated with epidural abscess, psoas muscle abscess, and spondylodiscitis is described in this report. The pathogen was mis-identified as Pasteurella spp. at the very start, and was confirmed by the molecular method. He was successfully treated with adequate antibiotics and surgery. The clinical features of sixteen previously reported cases of spinal infection caused by H. aphrophilus are reviewed. © 2009 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.