Pericardial effusion - an unusual manifestation of salmonellosis: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Nontyphoidal salmonellae are important food-borne pathogens that are usually associated with self-limiting gastroenteritis. Occurrence of extra-intestinal non-typhoidal salmonellosis in humans is increasing in many developing countries. The risk of extra-intestinal nontyphoidal salmonellosis is higher in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity, lympho-proliferative disorders and IL-12 deficiencies. Pericardial involvement is one of the rare manifestations accounting for <2% cases but the mortality is very high.


METHODS
A 23 year old male was admitted in the medicine ward with complaints of fever, chest pain with non-productive cough, not associated with hemoptysis for past 3 weeks. He was a known case of Hodgkin's lymphoma and was treated with complete course of chemotherapy. Cardiovascular examination, chest X-ray and ECG findings suggested this to be a case of pericardial effusion. The causative agent of this purulent pericardial effusion was identified as Group B Salmonella following isolation from the pericardial fluid.
Sahu
Manisa
M
Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. sujathasistla@gmail.com.
Sujatha
Sistla
S
Dr
Chaya
C
Parija
Subhash Chandra
SC