[Spontaneous cervical spondylodiscitis caused by Salmonella typhi in an immunocompetent patient]

We report a case of spontaneous cervical spondylodiscitis caused by Salmonella typhi. A 52-year-old man presented in the neurosurgical service with complaints of pain in the cervical and scapular region. Cervical inflammatory disease was suggested by bone scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis of Salmonella typhi spondylodiscitis was established by blood culture and culture of needle biopsy specimen taken from the C5 vertebra. The agglutinin titers for Salmonella were elevated. Intravenous ciprofloxacin therapy and external immobilization with a halo vest were instituted. A review of literature was performed evaluating the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this unusual pathology.