Salmonella typhimurium pulmonary infection in an immunocompetent patient

A 55-year-old man presented to his primary care provider after a two-week history of worsening cough. He was admitted to the hospital and treated for community acquired pneumonia due to progression of symptoms and an abnormal chest radiograph. Chest computerized tomography demonstrated a large consolidation in the right upper lobe with areas of cavitation consistent with necrosis. Blood and sputum cultures were obtained, and the patient was subsequently diagnosed with pulmonary Salmonella typhimurium infection. The organism was isolated from a sputum specimen only. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism, bronchitis, and esophageal dysmotility but no evidence of severe immunosuppression or malignancy. The patient responded well to antibiotic therapy with both symptomatic and radiologic improvement. As pulmonary Salmonella infection is exceedingly rare in the immunocompetent patient, a review of the literature is presented.