Mass spectrometry over biochemistry: MALDI-TOF MS identifies roseomonas mucosa as the cause of cervical osteomyelitis—A case report

Abstract

The microbial world encompasses a vast array of organisms, many of which remain poorly understood, yet possess the capacity to cause significant disease in humans. Roseomonas species, originally described in 1993 by Rihs et al., are amongst the less frequently encountered bacteria that can be pathogenic to humans. They are slow-growing, Gram-negative coccobacilli that predominantly cause disease in immunocompromised individuals. We report a rare case of vertebral osteomyelitis and cervical epidural abscess due to Roseomonas mucosa infection in a 50-year-old woman, who initially presented with neck pain and weakness. Treatment generally requires surgical drainage, followed by a prolonged course of targeted antibiotics. Since the discovery of this bacterium, only two cases of vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to Roseomonas mucosa have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of cervical osteomyelitis due to Roseomonas mucosa.