Staphylococcus lugdunensis: A Rare Pathogen for Osteomyelitis of the Foot

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is an aggressive gram-positive bacteria that can lead to devastating infections in humans. S. lugdunensis has been associated with rare cases of osteomyelitis of the vertebra, prosthetic implants, and endocarditis. Reports of this organism associated with osteomyelitis of the foot or ankle have been infrequent. We present a unique case of acute osteomyelitis of a foot caused by S. lugdunensis after a patient stepped on a thorn. Our case is unique, because the radiographic changes were noted within 4 days, despite normal plain films and magnetic resonance images on the day of admission. This finding suggests the aggressiveness and virulence of S. lugdunensis. In addition, we report the first case of foot osteomyelitis as a result of isolated S. lugdunensis that involved 2 distinct specimens with 2 different antibiotic sensitivity reports.