An Atypical Case of Lactobacillus jensenii Discitis and Osteomyelitis.
- 2025-12-08
- Cureus 17(12)
- PubMed: 41523433
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.98774
Study Design
- Type
- Case Report
- Population
- a 63-year-old female with Lactobacillus jensenii lumbosacral discitis and osteomyelitis, complicated by small bilateral psoas abscesses and myositis
- Methods
- L4-L5 lumbar biopsy confirmed the presence of L. jensenii via next-generation sequencing after conventional tissue and blood cultures were negative. The patient received piperacillin-tazobactam for six weeks, followed by a transition to amoxicillin-clavulanate as a consolidative regimen, completing a roughly two-month antimicrobial course.
Lactobacillusspecies are generally considered beneficial and are not typically pathogenic in humans. Bloodstream and tissue infections are uncommon and usually occur in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 63-year-old female with Lactobacillus jensenii lumbosacral discitis and osteomyelitis, complicated by small bilateral psoas abscesses and myositis. L4-L5 lumbar biopsy confirmed the presence of L. jensenii via next-generation sequencing after conventional tissue and blood cultures were negative. The presumed etiology of this infection was a genitourinary source. The patient received piperacillin-tazobactam for six weeks, followed by a transition to amoxicillin-clavulanate as a consolidative regimen, completing a roughly two-month antimicrobial course. Her symptoms, including gait instability and recurrent falls, resolved satisfactorily, with no concerning recurrence after discontinuation of antibiotics.
Research Insights
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