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Updated: Mar 1, 2026
High-throughput Assay to Phenotype Salmonella enterica Typhimurium Association, Invasion, and Replication in Macrophages
Published on: August 11, 2014
Multidrug Resistant Invasive Nontyphoidal Salmonella Isolated from and Masquerading Healed Tubercular Constrictive
Reetika Dawar1, Anoop Ganjoo2, Firdaus Imdadi1
1Microbiology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
Abstract:
Among the infectious causes of pericarditis are various bacteria, viruses, fungal and parasitic infections. The course disease may progress to a chronic constrictive pattern especially with tubercular etiology. Non-typhoidal Salmonella has rarely been reported as a cause of pericarditis. We describe here a case from which the pericardial fluid from an old case of tubercular pericarditis sent for culture to microbiology laboratory grew a Salmonella typhimurium. We studied the antibiotic resistance pattern, phage type and virulence factors playing a role in the invasive nature of the pathogen since no such study from pericardial fluid was found in the literature. The isolate was sensitive only to cephalosporins and it was untypable. It showed amplification for five fimbrial operons, three colonization factors, and other genes (pef operon), gog B(Gifsy-1 encoded effector), sseI (Gifsy-2 encoded effector), sodC ( the periplasmic [copper and zinc Cu, Zn ]-superoxide dismutase) & sopE (a guanine nucleotide exchange factors). The present case highlights the need for early detection of the exact causative agent and serovar in management, the likelihood of a different etiological agent other than the original to be kept in mind for timely management and the highly resistant pattern of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) limiting the therapeutic options as in our case to only cephalosporins. The genes encoded from the NTS might be required for invasive cardiac manifestation in humans.
Insights
A rare case of pericarditis caused by Salmonella typhimurium, a non-typhoidal Salmonella, was identified. This highly resistant pathogen, untypable and sensitive only to cephalosporins, highlights the need for early detection and consideration of secondary infections.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Pericarditis can stem from diverse infectious agents, potentially leading to chronic constrictive patterns, particularly with tuberculosis.
- Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is an infrequently reported cause of pericarditis.
Observation:
- A case of pericarditis initially suspected as tubercular yielded Salmonella typhimurium in pericardial fluid culture.
- The Salmonella typhimurium isolate exhibited high antibiotic resistance, being sensitive only to cephalosporins.
- Genomic analysis revealed virulence factors including fimbrial operons, colonization factors, and effector genes (pef, Gifsy-1, Gifsy-2).
Findings:
- The NTS isolate was untypable and possessed genes associated with invasiveness, such as sodC and sopE.
- Antibiotic resistance patterns significantly limited therapeutic choices, restricting treatment to cephalosporins.
Implications:
- Early identification of the precise causative agent and serovar is crucial for effective pericarditis management.
- Clinicians should consider the possibility of secondary or alternative etiological agents, even after initial diagnosis.
- The study underscores the growing challenge of multidrug-resistant NTS in invasive infections, necessitating a re-evaluation of treatment strategies for pericarditis.
