# Neisseria oralis Spondylodiscitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

## TL;DR

A healthy adult developed a rare spinal infection caused by Neisseria oralis, a bacterium typically not harmful, and recovered with antibiotic treatment.

## Contribution

This is the first reported case of spontaneous Neisseria oralis spondylodiscitis in an immunocompetent adult.

## Key findings

- Neisseria oralis caused spondylodiscitis in an otherwise healthy adult without a known infection source.
- The infection was successfully treated with six weeks of oral ciprofloxacin.
- Taxonomic changes in the Neisseria genus may have led to underreporting of such infections.

## Abstract

The pathogenicity and potential virulence of commensal Neisseria spp. are not fully understood, but growing literature describes cases of opportunistic infections in humans, including invasive or life-threatening presentations even in the absence of immunosuppression. We report the first case of spontaneous Neisseria oralis spondylodiscitis in an otherwise healthy immunocompetent adult, with no formally identified portal of entry. The infection was cured after six weeks of oral ciprofloxacin. Neisseria oralis is an emerging pathogen and can be involved in invasive infections even in immunocompetent individuals. Iterative changes in the taxonomy within the genus Neisseria over the years might have led to biases in the reporting of such cases.