Management of aortic aneurysm infected with Salmonella

This study reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients with an aortic aneurysm infected with Salmonella treated by a single centre over 6 years.

Data were collected by a retrospective case-note review.

Between September 1995 and December 2001, 121 patients with non-typhoid Salmonella bacteraemia were treated, of whom 24 patients had an aortic aneurysm infected with Salmonella. Ten had a suprarenal and 14 an infrarenal aortic infection. The most common responsible pathogen was group C Salmonella (12 patients). All of the 20 patients who had combined medical and surgical therapy survived, whereas two of four who had medical therapy alone died. There were two late deaths during a mean follow-up of 23 (range 3-63) months.

The incidence of aortic infection in patients with non-typhoid Salmonella bacteraemia was high in Taiwan. Timely surgical intervention and prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy resulted in excellent outcomes.