Ataxic Gait and Back Pain in an Immunocompetent 5-Year-Old Boy

Abstract

Bartonella henselae is a Gram-negative bacterium and the causative agent of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). Atypical presentations of B. henselae that involve musculoskeletal, hepatosplenic, or neurologic systems are rare. In this case report, we describe a case of B. henselae osteomyelitis involving the thoracic spine at the level of T2, complicated by both hepatic and splenic granulomas in a 5-year-old generally healthy male patient. Although B. henselae is a rare cause of osteomyelitis, it should be considered in patients with a possible cat exposure, who present with fever, pain, and lymphadenopathy.