Helcococcus kunzii as a rare etiological agent of spondylodiscitis partially managed with oral antibiotic therapy in a patient with diabetes mellitus: a case report.
Karen Velázquez-Leonel, Christian Bepperling, Thomas Regnath et al.
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Case in brief
A 62-year-old man with type 1 diabetes mellitus presented with severe lumbar pain, leading to a diagnosis of spondylodiscitis confirmed by MRI. Helcococcus kunzii was isolated from blood cultures and tissue samples using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The patient was treated with intravenous β-lactam antibiotics followed by 13 weeks of oral therapy, resulting in clinical improvement and resolution of spondylodiscitis on follow-up MRI.
What made this case unusual
This case is notable for being the first documented instance of spondylodiscitis caused by Helcococcus kunzii, a pathogen typically associated with other infections.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider Helcococcus kunzii as a potential cause of spondylodiscitis in patients with diabetes mellitus, especially when conventional pathogens are ruled out.
Why it matters
Accurate identification of Helcococcus kunzii using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is crucial for appropriate management of atypical spondylodiscitis cases.