Abstract

Salmonella enteritidis, a non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serotype, rarely causes spondylodiscitis and typically affects immunocompromised individuals. We report the first documented case of S. enteritidis-associated thoracic spondylodiscitis in an immunocompetent adult from Türkiye. A 32-year-old previously healthy male presented with chronic back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed T7–T8 spondylodiscitis with a right-sided paraspinal abscess. Blood cultures were sterile; however, cultures from the drained abscess grew Salmonella spp., identified as S. enteritidis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and serotyping. Histopathological examination showed abundant polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The patient received eight weeks of antibiotic therapy: two weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone followed by six weeks of oral ciprofloxacin, resulting in complete clinical and laboratory recovery. This case underscores the importance of considering NTS in the differential diagnosis of vertebral infections, particularly in regions endemic for tuberculosis and brucellosis.