Complicated brucellar spondylodiscitis: experience from an endemic area

The demographical, clinical, and therapeutical features of patients with brucellar spondylodiscitis (BS) were evaluated in this study. Of the 96 patients with brucellosis, 20 (20.8 %) were diagnosed with spondylodiscitis. Patients who had BS were more likely to be older (p = 0.001), have higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates (p = 0.01), and more likely to be anemic (p = 0.017). Lumbar segment (18/20) was frequently involved region. BS was complicated with paravertebral or epidural abscess in seven, radiculitis in six, and psoas abscess in five of cases. Antibiotic regimens including two or three antibiotics with combination of doxycycline, rifampin, and streptomycin were used. In this series, the mean duration of antimicrobial therapy was 18 weeks (range 12–56 weeks). Attention is drawn to this disease given the need for prolonged duration of treatment especially in complicated cases in order to avoid possible sequelae.