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Overview: the role of Propionibacterium acnes in nonpyogenic intervertebral discs

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Abstract

Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), an important opportunistic anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium, causes bone and joint infections, discitis and spondylodiscitis. Accumulated evidence suggested that this microbe can colonise inside intervertebral discs without causing symptoms of discitis. Epidemiological investigation shows that the prevalence ranges from 13 % to 44 %. Furthermore, colonisation by P. acnes inside nonpyogenic intervertebral discs is thought to be one pathogen causing sciatica, Modic changes and nonspecific low back pain. Specially, patients can attain significant relief of low back pain, amelioration of Modic changes and alleviation of sciatica after antibiotic therapy, indicating the role of P. acnes in these pathological changes. However, until now, there were hypotheses only to explain problems such as how P. acnes access intervertebral discs and what the exact pathological mechanism it employs during its latent infection period. In addition, research regarding diagnostic procedures and treatment strategies were also rare. Overall, the prevalence and possible pathological role that P. acnes plays inside nonpyogenic intervertebral discs is summarised in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai, China (NO.13430722100) and grants from the Shanghai Bureau of Health, Shanghai, China (No. XBR2011024).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025, China

    Zhe Chen, Peng Cao, Zezhu Zhou, Ye Yuan & Yucheng Jiao

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Zhe Chen, Peng Cao, Zezhu Zhou & Yucheng Jiao

  3. Department of Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital North, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Yuehuan Zheng

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  1. Zhe Chen
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Correspondence to Peng Cao.

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Chen, Z., Cao, P., Zhou, Z. et al. Overview: the role of Propionibacterium acnes in nonpyogenic intervertebral discs. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 40, 1291–1298 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-016-3115-5

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