Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with numerous complications beyond the respiratory tract, including spinal and joint co-infections and secondary infections. However, we could not locate any reported cases of bilateral shoulder infections with additional spinal infections associated with mild (like our patient) COVID-19 or with more severe cases of COVID-19. We report the case of a healthy 62-year-old male who presented with mild COVID-19 and concurrent methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia associated with multiple musculoskeletal sites of deep-seated infection. These included bilateral shoulder infections and delayed detection of lumbar spondylodiscitis with spinal epidural abscess (SEA). The patient had no known risk factors for complicated MSSA bacteremia. We discuss the potential pathophysiology and highlight the increased risk for worse outcomes in patients with mild COVID-19 and bacterial co-infections. This case is not only unique but provides valuable insight for physicians tasked with making difficult diagnoses that may be masked or complicated by COVID-19 infection.
Keywords: bacterial co-infection; bilateral shoulder infection; covid-19; methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus; vertebral discitis.
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