ABSTRACT
Infection of the spine is fortunately quite rare. It can occur spontaneously or as a consequence of surgery. Post-operative infection can occur in the disc space as discitis, or in the superficial tissues as a wound infection. The post operative incidence has been reported as between 1 and 5%. It can never be totally avoided, but the risk is reduced by adopting a careful operative technique. Serious consequences of infection can be minimized by having good post-operative care and a high level of suspicion.
