CALCIFICATION OF THE BREAST FOLLOWING A TYPHOID ABSCESS.

Area of Science:

• Medical Case Study
• Biochemistry
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• A patient with typhoid fever received significant oral and subcutaneous calcium supplementation.
• Following treatment, the patient developed a breast abscess with Bacillus typhosus and Staphylococcus aureus, complicated by calcium deposits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development and resolution of unusual calcification in a patient with typhoid fever.
• To explore the potential role of diet, specifically a carbohydrate-free diet, in calcium metabolism and tissue deposition.

Main Methods:

• Clinical observation of a single patient with typhoid fever.
• Administration of oral lactate of calcium and subcutaneous chloride of calcium.
• Surgical intervention for breast abscess and packing with iodoform gauze.
• Implementation of a carbohydrate-free diet and monitoring of calcium intake and output.
• Analysis of urine for acetone and diacetic acid.

Main Results:

• A breast abscess formed, followed by significant calcium deposition in granulation tissue, forming a calcareous mass.
• A carbohydrate-free diet led to substantial calcium elimination (3.672g excess elimination over intake) and near-complete healing of the abscess with calcium deposit disappearance.
• Calcium retention was observed under a milk and egg diet and a normal diet.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests a remarkable association between a carbohydrate-free diet, increased calcium elimination, and the resolution of pathological calcification.
• The exact cause of calcification remains uncertain but may involve the interplay of calcium administration, iodoform, and the patient's condition.
• Further research is needed to confirm the role of carbohydrate-free diets in managing such calcification phenomena.