Salmonella panama osteomyelitis in an otherwise healthy patient. A case report

A 22-year-old man had Salmonella panama osteomyelitis of the left distal tibia. He had endured a period of untreated diarrhea without fever 6 years before. The osteomyelitis was treated successfully with surgical debridement followed by 9 weeks of oral cotrimoxazole 960 mg twice daily. Salmonella osteomyelitis is rare. Most cases occur in patients with sickle cell anemia. Other conditions of local or generalized immunosuppression are also risk factors, but none were established in this patient, nor was he a chronic carrier. In reviewing the literature, no case of Salmonella panama osteomyelitis in an otherwise healthy patient was found. Although the osteomyelitis in this patient was possibly secondary to Salmonella enteritis 6 years before, the authors believe that enteric Salmonella infections should not be treated with antibiotics unless the infection is accompanied by systemic symptoms. Otherwise, the risk of chronic carriership is substantially increased. In case of Salmonella panama osteomyelitis, surgical debridement is recommended as the main component of treatment, followed by a prolonged period of specific antibiotic therapy.