Spinal infections are relatively uncommon but serious conditions, accounting for 3% to 5% of all osteomyelitis cases. Unfortunately, delays in diagnosis and treatment are common due to the manner in which these infections present. Symptoms may be vague, and there are no pathognomonic clinical signs or definitive laboratory tests to make the diagnosis. Spinal infections can be categorized into different groups based on location of infection, mode of transmission, and infecting pathogen. The location can be in the vertebral body, disc space, paraspinal region, or epidural space. Transmission of the infection can occur by hematogenous seeding, contiguous spread, or direct inoculation. Pathogens can be gram positive, with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common, gram negative, fungal, or acid-fast.
