{
  "abstract": "We describe a rare case of a 35-year-old female patient suffering from polymicrobial hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis caused by vaginal microbiota following sexual intercourse. Anaerobic blood cultures yielded Fannyhessea vaginae and Gemelliphila asaccharolytica, and intraoperative tissue cultures from decompression surgery identified Gardnerella vaginalis. Beyond Fannyhessea vaginae and Gemelliphila asaccharolytica, 16S rRNA gene Nanopore sequencing of surgical tissue also detected high amounts of Parvimonas parva, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Marseillibacter massiliensis, and Gemelliphila palaticanis. Antibiotic treatment with broad anaerobic coverage resulted in complete clinical resolution. Retrospective metagenomic analysis of a cervical swab obtained 9 months earlier revealed Fannyhessea vaginae and G. vaginalis to be already present in the vaginal microbiota. This case highlights the potential for hematogenous dissemination of vaginal anaerobes after sexual intercourse and underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by fastidious anaerobic bacteria. Molecular techniques are helpful tools in uncovering pathogens that may escape conventional culture methods.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Division of Spine Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Center for Infection Diagnostics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland",
    "Center for Musculoskeletal Infections, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland"
  ],
  "article_type": "case report",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Isabelle Vock"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Annika Bargetzi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Maja Weisser"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Olivia Katharina Mueller"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Milena Junker"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Arne Mehrkens"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Claudio Neidhoefer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Baptiste Hamelin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Salome Hosch"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Kirsten D. Mertz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Peter M. Keller"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        5,
        6
      ],
      "name": "Richard Kuehl"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajxjxqjbb83xx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1007/s15010-026-02926-4",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13727934/",
  "id": "ajxjxqjbb83xx",
  "issns": [
    "0300-8126",
    "1439-0973"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-026-02926-4",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Case Report"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2746|Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7203663421",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13727934",
  "pmid": "42611158",
  "published": "2026-08-18",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajxjxqjbb83xx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T12:23:43Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13727934",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-026-02926-4"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2746|Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis caused by vaginal microbiota: metagenomic resolution of a polymicrobial anaerobic case",
  "title_text": "Hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis caused by vaginal microbiota: metagenomic resolution of a polymicrobial anaerobic case",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:21:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ajxjxqjbb83xx",
  "venue": "Infection",
  "versions": []
}