POTT's Awareness

"Pott’s disease, also known as spinal tuberculosis, leaves unmistakable signatures on the spine.
When Mycobacterium tuberculosis spreads beyond the lungs and settles into the vertebrae, it slowly destroys the bone from the inside out. Over time, the collapsing vertebrae create a sharp, angular curve in the back called a gibbus deformity, one of the hallmark features of this condition.

At the Bone Museum, we can actually see the history of this infection etched into the spine:
• weakened, eroded vertebral bodies
• vertebral collapse and forward angulation
• fusion as the body tries to stabilize the damage
• long-term changes that reveal the chronic nature of the disease

Before modern antibiotics, Pott’s disease was a major cause of paralysis and chronic pain. Today, it’s rare in developed countries, but still seen globally, reminding us how infections can reshape the skeleton."