A Rare Case of Sphingomonas paucimobilis Spondylodiscitis Managed Surgically

INTRODUCTION: Sphingomonas paucimobilis is an opportunistic pathogen and a rare cause of human infection. This case report shows bacteremia with pyogenic spondylodiscitis in lumbosacral spine caused by Sphingomonas and discusses its clinical diagnosis, treatment, and literature reviews. CASE REPORT: Patient presented with severe low back pain, inability to walk and fever following a L5-S1 decompression elsewhere, which corresponded clinico-radiologically with a picture of a spondylodiscitis on radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. His blood culture was positive for S. paucimobilis. He was treated successfully by surgical debridement, stabilization, and fusion along with intravenous Linezolid followed by oral therapy, based on the antibiotic susceptibility profile. Repeat blood culture was negative after 7 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Patient improved symptomatically with radiographs showing good fusion at 1 year follow-up. S. paucimobilis, though a low virulence organism, is an emerging pathogen and should be dealt with cautiously. CONCLUSION: This reiterates the importance of culture as unusual organisms may be isolated and appropriate antibiotics form the mainstay of treatment.