Lumbosacral Spondylodiscitis- An Atypical Localisation of Salmonella Typhi Infection: A Case Report

Abstract

Salmonella belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae. The various members of the genus cause diseases that are important public health problems. Apart from causing typhoid, Salmonella can cause an array of diseases ranging from osteomyelitis to meningitis, though rare. Herein, authors report one such uncommon scenario, in an otherwise healthy 40-year-old female who presented with lower back pain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was suggestive of lumbosacral spondylodiscitis and she underwent a spine stabilisation surgery. The pathogen was confirmed to be Salmonella Typhi by microbiological workup. She responded well to treatment with ceftriaxone. This case report implies the significance of culture studies in the early management of the patient. It is imperative for the diagnosis, as the symptoms of the aforementioned disease are usually non-specific and imaging studies are indiscernible from spine tuberculosis.

Keywords

• low back pain
• lumbosacral spine
• lumbar vertebrae