Intestinal perforation secondary to Salmonella typhi: case report and review of the literature

The case of a young woman presenting with fever, abdominal distention, and diarrhea is presented. While hospitalized, she developed peritonitis, and a laparotomy was performed emergently. Intraoperative and pathologic examinations are highly suggestive of Salmonella typhi as an etiology for her symptoms and eventual perforation. Salmonella enteritis can be a difficult diagnosis to make, but in most cases it is a self-limited disease process. In a minority of cases, multidrug antibiotic therapy may be required secondary to an increasing prevalence of resistant strains. Patients who perforate require prompt operation to limit morbidity and mortality. Outcome is significantly improved in those patients by directed resection of the affected segment of bowel and by aggressive perioperative care.