Cervical vertebral osteomyelitis and epidural abscess caused by Candida albicans in a patient with chronic renal failure.

Although rare, the diagnosis of candidal vertebral osteomyelitis of the cervical spine should be considered in cases of quadriparesia occurring in hemodialysis patients. This disease leads to vertebral destruction and spinal cord compression. Candidal vertebral osteomyelitis constitutes a diagnostic problem for all physicians. The insidious progression of disease, the non-specificity of the clinic and laboratory findings, and the failure to recognize candida as a potential pathogen may lead to a diagnostic delay. Early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental points for prognosis. In this report, we present the fifth case of cervical vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Candida species in the literature. Our case is the second case of candidal vertebral osteomyelitis associated with epidural abscess of the cervical spine.