[Spondylodiscitis caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus, in vitro sensitive to penicillin].

The case history of a man referred to our department with the diagnosis of purulent meningitis; actually, he presented spondylodiscitis of the lumbar spine with the infection spreading into the spinal canal and the left psoas muscle. The disease was caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus, which in vitro was sensitive to penicillin. However, treatment with crystalline penicillin in combination with ciprofloxacin failed. The paper suggests a differential diagnosis permitting to distinguish a typical purulent meningitis and an abscess in the spinal canal. The authors also discuss the suitability of administering penicillin in staphylococcal sepsis caused by a sensitive strain. The authors do not recommend crystalline penicillin in the management of severe staphylococcal infections even in cases, where the isolated S. aureus strain is really sensitive to penicillin.