Cervical brucellar spondylodiscitis mimicking a cervical disc herniation with epidural abscess: a case report

Abstract

Brucellosis can show many clinical manifestations according to the affected sites of the body, and is usually diagnosed with osteoarticular symptoms. We present a patient with cervical brucellar spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess who presented with severe neck and left upper extremity pain and was referred to our hospital for surgery because of cervical disc herniation. The patient didn’t undergo surgery and was cured with 6 months of medical therapy. Duration of the medical therapy was assessed by magnetic resonans imaging (MRI) studies. In endemic regions, brucellar spondylodiscitis should be included in differential diagnoses for patients who have cervical pain with or without neurological deficits. Patients should be attentively questioned concerning occupation, settlement place, subfebril fever, consumption of raw milk or dairy products, travel to endemic regions or past brucellosis history in the family. MRI is an important imaging modality in the diagnosis and response to medical treatment in brucellar spondylodiscitis.