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Peer-reviewedCC BYJournal of medical case reports

Spinal infection by Enterobacter hormaechei: an unusual cause of spondylodiscitis: a case report.

  • Zehra Leyla Yapalak1
  • Mine Filiz2
  • Gökhan Yüce3
  • Tuğrul Hoşbul4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Health Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye. [email protected].
  2. 2Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, University of Health Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
  3. 3Department of Radiology, University of Health Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
  4. 4Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Health Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
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Abstract

Introduction

Spondylodiscitis is an infectious condition involving the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies. Although Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the most common pathogens, cases caused by Gram-negative bacilli are relatively rare. Enterobacter hormaechei is an exceptionally uncommon etiologic agent in this context.Case presentation

A 69-year-old Turkish male with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a history of prostate adenocarcinoma in remission, with no active immunosuppression, presented with lower back pain and elevated inflammatory markers. Initially suspected to have metastatic spinal involvement, spinal MRI revealed spondylodiscitis at the T12-L1 level. Microbiological evaluation of the needle biopsy specimen yielded Enterobacter hormaechei. Species-level identification was established by culture and MALDI-TOF MS, with off-label syndromic PCR testing (BIOFIRE® Joint Infection Panel) providing supportive concordant results. The patient was successfully managed with surgical intervention and appropriate antimicrobial therapy.Discussion

Spondylodiscitis due to Enterobacter hormaechei remains exceedingly rare. This case highlights the importance of considering atypical Gram-negative organisms in spinal infections and underscores the value of advanced microbiological methods for accurate species-level identification.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{yapalak2026spinal,
  title = {{Spinal infection by Enterobacter hormaechei: an unusual cause of spondylodiscitis: a case report.}},
  author = {Zehra Leyla Yapalak and Mine Filiz and Gökhan Yüce and Tuğrul Hoşbul},
  journal = {Journal of medical case reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1186/s13256-026-06333-z},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972404},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Spinal infection by Enterobacter hormaechei: an unusual cause of spondylodiscitis: a case report.
AU  - Zehra Leyla Yapalak
AU  - Mine Filiz
AU  - Gökhan Yüce
AU  - Tuğrul Hoşbul
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/30
JO  - Journal of medical case reports
DO  - 10.1186/s13256-026-06333-z
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972404
AB  - Introduction  Spondylodiscitis is an infectious condition involving the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies. Although Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are the most common pathogens, cases caused by Gram-negative bacilli are relatively rare. Enterobacter hormaechei is an exceptionally uncommon etiologic agent in this context.Case presentation  A 69-year-old Turkish male with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a history of prostate adenocarcinoma in remission, with no active immunosuppression, presented with lower back pain and elevated inflammatory markers. Initially suspected to have metastatic spinal involvement, spinal MRI revealed spondylodiscitis at the T12-L1 level. Microbiological evaluation of the needle biopsy specimen yielded Enterobacter hormaechei. Species-level identification was established by culture and MALDI-TOF MS, with off-label syndromic PCR testing (BIOFIRE® Joint Infection Panel) providing supportive concordant results. The patient was successfully managed with surgical intervention and appropriate antimicrobial therapy.Discussion  Spondylodiscitis due to Enterobacter hormaechei remains exceedingly rare. This case highlights the importance of considering atypical Gram-negative organisms in spinal infections and underscores the value of advanced microbiological methods for accurate species-level identification.
SN  - 1752-1947
ER  -