Salmonella meningitis in an immunocompetent adult

Abstract

Non-enteric salmonella infections in immunocompetent adults are exceedingly rare in the United States, and meningitis is one of the least common extra-intestinal sites. In addition, it is very unusual for a patient with bacterial meningitis to present with classic meningitis signs and symptoms of > 72 h duration. The objective of this work is to describe a rare case of salmonella meningitis in an immunocompetent adult and, in the context of previously published case reports, describe the frequently atypical clinical course of salmonella meningitis along with the potential pitfalls encountered during its evaluation and treatment. An otherwise healthy 45-year-old man presented to our Emergency Department with frontal headache, fever, and stiff neck of 7 days duration. He was alert and oriented in triage, where he was noted to be afebrile, mildly tachycardic, with a normal blood pressure and respiratory rate; shortly after triage he developed a high fever, severe tachycardia, hypotension, and a change in mental status. He was resuscitated according to our severe sepsis protocol and treated empirically for bacterial meningitis. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures grew group D Salmonella berta. An evaluation for underlying immunodeficiency was unrevealing. The patient was discharged home on hospital day 7 in good condition. Salmonella meningitis can present with an indolent course and can mimic, in many misleading ways, the less serious diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. This case highlights the need for an unbiased clinical assessment, aggressive management of critical illness, and point-for-point correspondence between clinical data and assigned diagnosis.