Abstract:
Apart from the conventional factors, recent evidences have suggested that
lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is also associated with microbes, which is
completely ignored in the management of patients with disc prolapse and disc
degeneration. Therefore, the present study was carried out to identify the different microorganisms in subjects with LDH. Subjects (n = 101) who were
confirmed for LDH with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and undergoing lumbar discectomy, were recruited in this study. Standard protocols for disinfection of the skin and surgical instruments were adhered. Skin scrapings, muscle biopsies and portion of the intervertebral disc were transferred into individually labeled Robertson’s cooked meat enrichment broth for anaerobic
identification. Remaining portions of the excised disc material and muscle
biopsy were taken for aerobic identification. Anaerobic isolates were identified
using Gram stain and catalase test while the species identification was done
by RapID ANA II ID kit. Gram stain, catalase test, DNase test and coagulase
tests were used for identification of aerobic bacteria. Study confirmed 6/101
disc cultures (6%) with positive anaerobes and 12 disc cultures with coagulase
negative Staphylococci spp. Among the anaerobes, two disc cultures were identified as Propionibacterium acnes and one as Gemella morbillorum. Due to
slow growth, other three anaerobic cultures were not confirmed. However,
they resembled the colony morphology of Gram positive bacilli. None of the
control samples (skin and muscles) had any positive growth. The present
study adds to the literature confirming the role of microorganisms in LDH.
Present study newly identified Gemella morbillorum in the intervertebral tissue in addition to the previously reported microorganisms associated with
LDH.
