Mycobacterium bovis discitis as a complication of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy.

We report a culture-proven case of Mycobacterium bovis discitis in a 67-year-old man who had received intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for bladder cancer 5 years previously. He presented with severe low back pain, and imaging revealed features of discitis and paraspinal abscesses. On aspiration of the abnormal tissue, culture confirmed infection with M. bovis. Quadruple antituberculous therapy was commenced at this stage, with a subsequent good clinical response. Hematogenous spread of M. bovis is a rare, often delayed, complication of intravesical BCG therapy, but early appropriate treatment can result in a good prognosis.