Infections of the Spine and Spinal Cord

This article reviews the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of infections of the spine and spinal cord to help practicing clinicians recognize, evaluate, and manage patients with such infections. RECENT FINDINGS Aging of the population, increasing use of immunosuppressive medications, and other factors have contributed to increasing rates of spinal infections. Although the most common agents responsible for spinal infections remain bacteria and viruses, fungal infections occur in individuals who are immunocompromised, and parasitic infections are common in endemic regions, but patterns are in evolution with migration and climate change. Recent outbreaks of acute flaccid myelitis in children have been associated with enteroviruses A71 and D68. SUMMARY Infections of the spine and spinal cord can be challenging to diagnose, requiring a thorough history and neurologic examination, laboratory studies of serum and CSF, neuroimaging (particularly MRI), and, in some instances, biopsy, to establish a diagnosis and treatment regimen. Interdisciplinary management including collaboration with experts in internal medicine, infectious disease, and neurosurgery is important to improve clinical outcomes.
Source: CONTINUUM: Lifelong Learning in Neurology - Category: Neurology Tags: REVIEW ARTICLES Source Type: research