# An Atypical Case of Lactobacillus jensenii Discitis and Osteomyelitis

## TL;DR

A 63-year-old woman developed a rare infection caused by Lactobacillus jensenii in her spine, successfully treated with antibiotics.

## Contribution

Reports a rare clinical case of L. jensenii causing discitis and osteomyelitis, highlighting its potential pathogenicity.

## Key findings

- L. jensenii was identified in a lumbosacral discitis and osteomyelitis case via next-generation sequencing.
- The infection was successfully treated with a two-month antimicrobial regimen.
- The patient showed full recovery with no recurrence after treatment.

## Abstract

Lactobacillusspecies are generally considered beneficial and are not typically pathogenic in humans. Bloodstream and tissue infections are uncommon and usually occur in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 63-year-old female with Lactobacillus jensenii lumbosacral discitis and osteomyelitis, complicated by small bilateral psoas abscesses and myositis. L4-L5 lumbar biopsy confirmed the presence of L. jensenii via next-generation sequencing after conventional tissue and blood cultures were negative. The presumed etiology of this infection was a genitourinary source. The patient received piperacillin-tazobactam for six weeks, followed by a transition to amoxicillin-clavulanate as a consolidative regimen, completing a roughly two-month antimicrobial course. Her symptoms, including gait instability and recurrent falls, resolved satisfactorily, with no concerning recurrence after discontinuation of antibiotics.