Burkholderia cepacia Vertebral Osteomyelitis in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review

Burkholderia cepacia is a Gram-negative, environmental, and saprophytic bacterium that can act as an opportunistic pathogen, most notably causing necrotizing pneumonia in immunocompromised patients, with granulomatous disease or cystic fibrosis.We report a rare case of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by B. cepacia in a 45-year-old immunocompetent patient with a history of intravenous drug use and prior residence in Southeast Asia.This diagnosis was challenging due to the absence of typical risk factors such as immunosuppression, recent hospitalizations, or exposures.Remarkably, this case is one of the few described in association with Scheuermann's disease, expanding the differential diagnosis for such infections.A literature review identified 38 cases of B. cepacia vertebral osteomyelitis, primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals around 50 years with intravenous drug use or hospital exposure.Treatment typically spans 10 weeks but carries a poor prognosis.This case emphasizes the need to consider B. cepacia in atypical presentations of bone infections.