[Bacteremia and localized suppurative Salmonella non-typhi infections in the elderly: a study of 4 cases observed at the Ivrea-Castellamonte Hospital].

Abstract

Over a period of 60 months 137 cases of intestinal and extra-intestinal salmonellosis were registered in the microbiology department of the Ivrea-Castellamonte hospital. The authors conducted a retrospective study relative to the extra-intestinal salmonellosis manifested in elderly patients. In order to carry out such a study the authors considered only patients who were in the hospital, who were over the age of 65, and who had a clinical history different from the usual one of gastroenterocolitis. Out of 61 patients who were in hospital 50 were with complete registration data; 9 (18%) were over 65 years of age. The analysis of the clinical cards permitted the identification of 4 cases with unusual clinical histories due to the presence of serious systemic complications (sepsis with prolonged fever and positive blood cultures) or focal infections in extra-intestinal tissues (abscess of soft tissues, osteomyelitis). The authors focused their attention on these and described the general clinical characteristics of each patient, the type and the position of the isolated microorganism, the manifestations or extra-intestinal complications of the infection and the predisposing factors regarding the same complications. For each patient the essential clinical history and the treatment of the disease have been described. The authors conclude by affirming that in the cases of elderly patients with salmonellosis, apart from those infections in positions different from intestinal one, it would be opportune to consider an antimicrobe treatment also for enteritis infections and cases of asymptomatic infection.