Salmonella typhi osteomyelitis

Salmonella infections in man can be divided in five clinical groups: enteric fever, septicaemia without localization, focal disease, gastroenteritis and the carrier state. Salmonella typhi is mostly associated with enteric fever and the carrier state. Bone infections due to S. typhi have been reported relatively seldom. They usually occur as the result of metastatic spread during septicaemia or, more rarely, after direct inoculation. Two patients with S. typhi osteomyelitis of the forearm without evidence of a primary infection or direct inoculation are presented here.