Journal of Pediatric Case Reports

Discitis

Journal of Pediatric Case Reports

Published October 21, 2025

DOI: 10.37549/JPCR-25-0013

Parker Hunsaker, BS1, Richard B. Towbin, MD2*, Carrie M. Schaefer, MD2, Daniel Morgan, DO3, Alexander J. Towbin, MD4*

1 College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida

2 Department of Radiology, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona

3 Department of Radiology, University of College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

4 Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

* Corresponding author: Richard B. Towbin (rtowbin@gmail.com)

Abstract

Discitis is an intervertebral disc infection in young children most caused by S. aureus or K. kingae. Symptomatic patients most commonly present with back pain, refusal to walk or crawl, loss of lumbar lordosis, and inability to flex the lower back. The first-line diagnostic tool is MRI, which demonstrates a shortened, inflamed disc. Treatment generally consists of bed rest in combination with IV and oral empiric antibiotic therapy over the course of several weeks.

Keywords: spine, infection, children

Citation

Hunsaker P, Towbin RB, Schaefer CM, Morgan D, Towbin AJ. Discitis. Journal of Pediatric Case Reports. 2025. doi:10.37549/JPCR-25-0013.

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