Osteomyelitis and Hip Abscess Caused by Gardnerella vaginalis

Abstract

Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) is a facultative anaerobic gram-variable pleomorphic rod most commonly associated with infection of the genital tract in women, especially bacterial vaginosis, but recognition of extravaginal G. vaginalis infection is becoming more frequent. We report a case of osteomyelitis hip abscess caused by G. vaginalis in a young female patient with a history of left hip Ewing sarcoma treated with surgical resection, chemotherapy, and hardware placement. We discuss previously reported cases of osteoarticular infections due to G. vaginalis in the medical literature and management of our unique case despite the lack of antimicrobial susceptibility for G. vaginalis.

Gardnerella and vaginal health: the truth is out there

“…The presence of Gardnerella spp. in osteoarticular infections has also been detected, such as in acute hip arthritis (Sivadon-Tardy et al 2009), disk space infections (Hodge, Levy and Smith 1995), discitis and vertebral osteomyelitis (Graham et al 2009), osteomyelitis and hip abscess (Shah, Nanjappa and Greene 2017), joint infections (Hoarau et al 2012), reactive arthritis (El Mezouar et al 2014), and spinal epidural abscesses (Stewart et al 2018). Gardnerella spp.…”

Spinal Epidural Abscess Caused by Gardnerella vaginalis and Prevotella amnii

“…9 Furthermore, there have been six previously reported osteoarticular infections associated with G. vaginalis . These cases include a parietal bone osteomyelitis in a neonate, 10 a hip arthritis in a renal transplant recipient, 11 two hip prosthesis infections 12,13 and two cases of spinal infections. The first spinal infection reported was of a 50-year-old woman who presented with back pain.…”