Spinal infections in patients with compromised immune systems.

UNLABELLED: Spinal infections are relatively uncommon but have potentially devastating consequences if not diagnosed and treated correctly. Compromised immunologic responsiveness, either transient or permanent, predisposes patients to more frequent and more severe infections. Through a Medline review of the English-language literature from 1990 to 2005, we examined the current understanding of the etiology of common immunocompromising conditions, how these diagnoses impact the relative spine infection rates including diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring, and practice trends regarding surgical intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V (expert opinion). Please see Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of the levels of evidence.