Vertebral osteomyelitis and septic arthritis are pathologies that principally affect people over fifty years old, but their incidence seems to be growing due to the increase of nosocomial bacteraemia associated with intravascular devices and the aging of hospitalised people. The majority of cases are produced by Staphylococcus aureus.
We present the case and diagnostic process of a patient with vertebral osteomyelitis caused by another organism, Escherichia coli, with fatal evolution despite adequate treatment.
Key words. Multiples abscesses. Vertebral osteomyelitis. Septic arthritis.

                      

Correspondencia
Valentina Fernández Ladrón
Servicio de Medicina Interna
Hospital de Navarra
C/Irunlarrea, 3
31008 Pamplona
Navarra
Tfno. 848 42 21 34

Aceptado para su publicación el 9 de marzo de 2007.