Flummoxed Presentation of Paratyphoid Fever: A Case Report

Abstract

Enteric fever remains a major disease burden in developing countries. Paratyphoid fever has been described as a less severe infection than typhoid fever. Salmonella serovar Paratyphi A has been however seen as an increasing problem in many areas in Asia and can cause a disease with severity proportional to that of Salmonella serovar Typhi. Among Asian countries China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam are considered to be endemic for typhoid. This case describes female infant presenting with long standing lymphadenopathy in the cervical and axillary area. Considering the duration of clinical feature she was investigated for Tuberculosis and Hodgkins lymphoma. The extensive course of investigations ruled out both. Sampling of gastric aspirate in pursuit of diagnosing tuberculosis incidentally revealed Salmonella Paratyphi B repeatedly as the cause of the generalized lymphadenopathy.This is a first report which describes such a case in the best of our knowledge.