Salmonella enteritidis brain abscess in a sickle cell disease patient: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Focal intracranial abscesses due to Salmonella spp are rarely reported. They tend to occur in patients who are immunosuppressed and in those with other predisposing factors. We present herein the first reported case of Salmonella enteritidis brain abscess in a sickle cell disease (SCD) patient.

Methods: We describe the case of a 29-year-old black African female with SCD who presented to her local hospital with a left frontal abscess. She was treated with emergency burr hole aspiration of the abscess and antibiotics. The aspirate grew S. enteritidis PT 8 on culture. All investigations into the source of the infection proved negative. The patient made a full recovery. We also present a detailed review of S. enteritidis brain abscesses in the medical literature.

Results and conclusions: S. enteritidis brain abscesses are very rare and are usually associated with immunocompromised conditions. Our patient appears to be the first reported case associated with SCD, the pathogenesis of which is unclear at present. Further clinical research is suggested in countries with a high prevalence of SCD to determine the association of SCD and the development of Salmonella brain abscesses.