Group B streptococcal spondylodiscitis in adults:: 2 case reports

Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B streptococcus (GBS), has been traditionally considered an infrequent etiologic agent of disease in adults except for urinary tract infection in pregnant women. Attention has recently been drawn to other adult infections caused by GBS such as skin and soft tissue infections, bacteriemias, pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, peritonitis, and bone and joint infections. We present two adult patients with GBS spondylodiscitis and review 30 cases of GBS spinal infection previously reported in the literature. This series clearly illustrates that GBS has recently been recognized as an emerging cause of vertebral infections in adults, particularly in those with chronic underlying diseases, although it can also affect immunocompetent patients without debilitating conditions. Although uncommon, GBS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infective spondylodiscitis in nonpregnant adults, whatever the patient's immunological status. (C) 2003 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.