CONTEXT: Spondylodiscitis, or vertebral osteomyelitis, is an unusual infection of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs that can occasionally present with neurological signs. FINDINGS: We present a patient with subacute flaccid paraparesis with associated albuminocytologic dissociation who was eventually diagnosed with spondylodiscitis. CONCLUSION: The case presented depicts a diagnostic difficulty encountered in clinical practice: Albuminocytologic dissociation in CSF is not always attributed to Guillain-Barre syndrome and other possible causes such as obstructive spinal cord lesions must always be considered.
CONTEXT: Spondylodiscitis, or vertebral osteomyelitis, is an unusual infection of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs that can occasionally present with neurological signs. FINDINGS: We present a patient with subacute flaccid paraparesis with associated albuminocytologic dissociation who was eventually diagnosed with spondylodiscitis. CONCLUSION: The case presented depicts a diagnostic difficulty encountered in clinical practice: Albuminocytologic dissociation in CSF is not always attributed to Guillain-Barre syndrome and other possible causes such as obstructive spinal cord lesions must always be considered.
Authors: Daniel J Livorsi; Naval G Daver; Robert L Atmar; Samuel A Shelburne; A Clinton White; Daniel M Musher Journal: J Infect Date: 2008-06-17 Impact factor: 6.072