Pericardial effusion - an unusual manifestation of salmonellosis: a case report

Nontyphoidal salmonellae are important food-borne pathogens that are usually associated with self-limiting gastroenteritis. Occurrence of extra-intestinal non-typhoidal salmonellosis in humans is increasing in many developing countries. The risk of extra-intestinal nontyphoidal salmonellosis is higher in patients with impaired cell mediated immunity, lympho-proliferative disorders and IL-12 deficiencies. Pericardial involvement is one of the rare manifestations accounting for <2% cases but the mortality is very high.

A 23 year old male was admitted in the medicine ward 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 course of chemotherapy. Cardiovascular examination, chest X-ray and ECG findings suggested this to be a case of pericardial effusion. The causative agent of this purulent pericardial effusion was identified as Group B Salmonella following isolation from the pericardial fluid.