Open AccessAn alcohol-acid resistant backache
Author(s) -
Issa ElHamad,
Carmelo Scarcella,
Maria Chiara Pezzoli,
Viviana Bergamaschi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
clinical management issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2283-3137
pISSN - 1973-4832
DOI - 10.7175/cmi.v2i1.583
Subject(s) - medicine , leukocytosis , etiology , spondylitis , blood test , back pain , ankylosing spondylitis , pathology , alternative medicine
We reported the case of a Pakistani young man, illegally residing in Italy, complaining for chronic backache. X-ray was negative, while the blood test revealed neutrophilic leukocytosis and an increase in inflammation markers. Tuberculin skin test was negative. He worsened despite of repeated cycles of analgesic therapy and fluoroquinolones. After 4 months a nuclear magnetic resonance suggested tubercular (TB) spondylitis whose etiology was confirmed by ex-juvantibus criteria. It is important to take TB in account when facing an immigrant suffering from backache, coming from a highly endemic area