Infect Chemother.  2003 Feb;35(1):53-56.

A Case of Typhoid Fever Complicated with Meningitis, Cervical Spondylitis and Epidural Abscess

• Jean K
• Kwon NH
• Chang HH
• Jung SI
• Oh WS
• Kim S
• Park KR
• Song JH

Abstract

Typhoid fever still steadily occurrs, although its incidence decreased in Korea. Even though the clinical manifestations of typhoid fever are varied, there has been no reported case complicated with meningitis, cervical spondylitis and epidural abscess simultaneously. We experienced a case of typhoid fever in an immunocompetent patient complicated with meningitis, cervical spondylitis and cervical epidural abscess. A 55-year old woman was admitted because of fever and neck pain. The finding of her lumbar puncture was compatable with bacterial meningitis, and Salmonella enterica Typhi was found in blood cultures. Despite of medical treatment, neck pain, radiating to upper extremities, was aggravated. Cervical MRI revealed an anterior epidural abscess with spondylitis and discitis at the level of the 5th and 6th cervical vertebral bodies. Removal of epidural abscess and laminectomy were performed for cervical spinal cord compression. Ciprofloxacin was intravenously given for up to one month and was then switched to oral formula. She was cured without neurologic sequelae and has had no relapse for 1 year follow-up.

Keyword

Salmonella typhi; Meningitis; Spondylitis; Epidural abscess

MeSH Terms

Ciprofloxacin
Discitis
Epidural Abscess*
Female
Fever
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Laminectomy
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meningitis*
Meningitis, Bacterial
Middle Aged
Neck Pain
Recurrence
Salmonella enterica
Salmonella typhi
Spinal Cord Compression
Spinal Puncture
Spondylitis*
Typhoid Fever*
Upper Extremity
Ciprofloxacin