Salmonella enteritidis Concurrent Spinal Epidural Abscess, Urinary Tract Infection and Endocarditis in an Immunocompetent Host: Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

We present a discussion of a rare case of Salmonella non-typhi epidural abscess in an immunocompetent patient without any risk factors with the finding of concurrent mitral valve endocarditis and urinary tract infection. Nontyphoidal salmonella is a reportable food-borne illness which typically presents as a gastrointestinal infection. In immunocompetent individuals, Salmonella infections are often subclinical and almost always self-limited. 5% of nontyphoidal infections progress to a systemic infection from a nonspecific febrile illness often associated with a disseminated bacteremia and metastatic foci of infection with the development of a Salmonella arthritis, urinary tract infection, infection of the central nervous system, bone infection, soft tissue infection. Our case illustrates that Salmonella enteritidis can cause a significant disseminated infection even in the absence of any predisposing factor (if the host is overwhelmed with a high bacterial load).