Acute osteomyelitis as cause of late sepsis in a Nigerian neonate

Abstract

Neonatal osteomyelitis (NO) is said to be rare and uncommonly reported in the sub-region. Although this may be true, either because the cases are under-diagnosed, unreported or under-reported. The diagnosis is clinical and supported with blood culture or the aspiration of pus with radiological findings. We report a case of a neonate with acute osteomyelitis of the right femur, diagnosed at 10th day of life, which was confirmed with blood culture and radiogram findings of the right upper thigh of the baby. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented reported case of NO from the south-eastern Nigeria. It is imperative to recognize the clinical presentation necessary to raise the suspicion of NO and other focal infection in the newborn. With thorough examination and selected investigation the focus of infection in the neonate can be detected.