Abstract
We present four cases of fungal vertebral osteomyelitis, (three patients were males and one female, average age 51 years). The sites of vertebral involvements were distributed from the upper thoracic to the lumbar spines. All patients had predisposing factors that reduced their resistance to infections.
The pathogen was Candida in three patients, and Aspergillus in one. All patients were treated with anti fungal agents, and three were also treated surgically. As a result, the three patients infected by Candida improved, but the one with Aspergillus died. In diagnosing of fungal spondylitis, biopsy is very useful. As a treatment, conservative methods with anti fungal agents are generally the first choise in cases of Candida, but in cases of Aspergillus, concominant medical and surgical treatment should be considered as early as possible because of the poorer prognosis.
