Staphylococcus aureus osteitis of the dens: a rare location.

Authors :: Goes E
Zeller V
Chicheportiche V
Tristan A
Desplaces N
Ziza JM
Source :: Joint bone spine [Joint Bone Spine] 2013 Oct; Vol. 80 (5), pp. 531-3. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Apr 25.
Publication Year :: 2013
Abstract: An immunocompetent 84-year-old woman was admitted for severe neck pain with a fever. Magnetic resonance imaging showed osteitis of the dens. She had methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia related to a dental extraction. She then developed an infection of a hip prosthesis due to the same organism. Her treatment consisted in intravenous antibiotics followed by oral suppressive antibiotic therapy for 2 years. Exchange arthroplasty was not performed given the advanced age of the patient, her unwillingness to undergo the procedure, and the risk of neurological complications during endotracheal intubation. The outcome was favorable at last follow-up more than 2 years after antibiotic treatment initiation.<br /> (Copyright © 2013 Société française de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)