A rare complication of systemic Salmonella infection in a young boy: a case report

Abstract

Salmonella spondylodiscitis is an uncommon extraintestinal manifestation of enteric fever and may closely mimic tubercular or pyogenic spinal infections in endemic settings. It typically results from hematogenous seeding of the vertebrae during or after a febrile illness and often presents with chronic back pain and raised inflammatory markers, while routine blood cultures may be non-contributory. We describe a young, otherwise healthy patient with subacute febrile back pain in whom spinal imaging showed lumbar spondylodiscitis, and image-guided vertebral biopsy established Salmonella Typhi as the etiological agent. The patient was managed successfully with prolonged, targeted intravenous antibiotics and spinal immobilization, without the need for surgical intervention. This case highlights the importance of considering Salmonella spondylodiscitis in the differential diagnosis of febrile back pain following enteric fever and underscores the pivotal role of early MRI and tissue diagnosis in guiding appropriate antimicrobial therapy and preventing long-term spinal sequelae.