Chronic osteomyelitis of the thoracic spine due to Salmonella typhi: a case report

A young woman with a 12-year history of symptoms of osteomyelitis of her spine had been treated for unproven tuberculous disease. During an acute flare-up of her symptoms, bacteriologic proof of Salmonella typhi infection was obtained, and the patient was treated with chloramphenicol and amoxycillin. The case illustrates the difficulties involved in making a radiologic diagnosis and the value of obtaining bacteriologic identification of the organism.