Spinal Epidural Abscess Due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in an HIV-Infected Adult

Abstract

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) due to Streptococcus pneumoniae is rare and has never been reported in an HIV-infected patient, despite the higher risk of invasive disease in this group. We describe here the first case of pneumococcal epidural abscess, presenting with fever and back pain in a 60-year-old man infected with HIV. Blood cultures were positive for S. pneumoniae and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the suspicion of diskitis and SEA at the L4-S1 level. The patient was successfully treated with iv cefriaxone without surgical intervention. The clinical characteristics of this case are compared with existing literature on pneumococcal SEA.