Blastomycoses dermatitidis is a fungal organism endemic to the eastern United States. This organism is thought to grow in soil and decaying wood, and exposure with inhalation of the spores can result in blastomycosis, a potentially life-threatening disseminated infection. We present a case of an 11-year-old female who presented to our institution with headaches and left-sided facial swelling, who was ultimately found to have blastomycosisof her left zygomatic bone.
Pott’s disease is a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) affecting the spine. Approximately 10% of individuals with extrapulmonary TB will have skeletal manifestations with the most common area affected being the spine, followed by the hip and knee. Within the spine, Pott’s disease has a predilection for affecting the thoraco-lumbar region, with the cervical spine being the least affected. Here, we report a case of cervical Pott’s disease in a 16-year-old child, with no risk factors for TB, presenting with neck pain and stiffness. Initial blood results were unremarkable, but a CT scan showed a C5 vertebral body fracture and mild canal stenosis. A sagittal MRI scan demonstrated canal stenosis and a pathologic compression fracture of the C5 vertebrae, a soft tissue mass extending into the epidural and prevertebral spaces and associated cervical cord compression. A trans-oral biopsy confirmed TB and a diagnosis of Pott’s disease. She underwent HALO placement and needed further fusion surgery. She was started on anti-tuberculous therapy and made a good recovery post-operatively.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.