Pericardial effusion - an unusual manifestation of salmonellosis: a case report.(Case Report)(Case study)

Authors: Manisa Sahu [1]; Sistla Sujatha (corresponding author) [1]; Chaya DR [1]; Subhash Chandra Parija [1]

Background

Salmonellae are a group of Gram-negative bacilli that can cause a wide spectrum of diseases both in animals as well as humans.

Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A are restricted to human hosts, in whom these organisms cause enteric (typhoid) fever. The other serotypes referred to as non-typhoidal salmonellae (NTS), can colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of a broad range of animals and accidentally infect human beings. Non-typhoidal salmonellae are important food-borne pathogens associated with large out breaks of salmonellosis occurring in situations of poor hygiene and improper food processing [1, 2]. Cases of extra-intestinal NTS are being increasingly reported in literature particularly in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity, lympho-proliferative disorders and IL-12 deficiencies [3]. Pericardial involvement though rare has a very high mortality rate [4]. Here we report a case of pericarditis in a 23 yr old male with Hodgkin's lymphoma due to Group B Salmonella.

Case presentation

A 23 year old Muslim male was admitted in the medicine ward in August 2007 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 …