Backache and infection
We read the interesting articles on backache and its relation to infection [1, 2]. Backache is a common problem all over the world. Etiologies are quite diverse for it and it is very difficult to enumerate all or majority of them. While evaluating a patient with backache, we have to take into account the postural factors, trauma which may be trivial or frank, and infection. The routine blood investigations and neuro-imaging like magnetic resonance imaging will help us decide the causative factor. So, in this way we can avoid the misuse of antibiotics as the authors have pointed out. In the third world countries such as India and Middle East countries, various strains of Brucella are probably the most frequent culprit among the infectious causes [3]. The drugs acting on Brucella strains and Propionibacterium may at times be common such as doxycycline, Rifampicin, and cotrimoxazole. So, we should also look for Brucella infection besides Propionibacterium infection.
Conflict of interest
None.
References
- 1.Albert HB, Sorensen JS, Christensen BS, Manniche C. Antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and vertebral bone edema (Modic type 1 changes): a double-blind randomized clinical controlled trial of efficacy. Eur Spine J. 2013;22(4):607–707. doi: 10.1007/s00586-013-2675-y. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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