Abstract

Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae is a rare pathogen but has been reported in the literature in immunosuppressed and rarely immunocompetent patients. Most disease states have been reported in animals and reptiles. Human exposure has resulted in a range of complications from skin and soft tissue infections to bacteremia and periprosthetic joint infections. Predisposing factors such as age, comorbidities, and use of Mexican folk healing practices increase the risk of developing an infection. S. arizonae has been associated with gastrointestinal infections in several parts of the country and on rare occasions have been isolated from skin and soft tissues, prosthetic joints, and empyema.

Case: This is a unique case of a large de novo chest abscess that developed in a 59-year-old diabetic male from the Southwest region with cultures growing Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae. This patient presented without predisposing factors and did not appear to be ill at the time of admission. He was treated successfully by aspirating the abscess along with a 2-week course of ceftriaxone intravenously.

Keywords: Salmonella arizonae, iatrogenic chest abscess, treatment, soft tissue infection, ceftriaxone.