Fatal salmonellosis in systemic lupus erythematosus

We report the case of a 74-year-old woman with long-standing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed Salmonella septicaemia and an aortic mycotic aneurysm which proved fatal. She had received only low dose prednisolone (average 5-10 mg) as treatment for her disease, which appeared to be inactive at the time of her presentation with septicaemia. This is the first case report of this particular manifestation of salmonellosis in SLE and the patient died despite standard antibiotic treatment. This case emphasizes the need for continued vigilance for signs of Salmonella infection when managing patients with SLE.