A Spinal TB Mimic: Salmonella Dublin

Surgical biopsy revealed Salmonella Dublin after anti-tuberculosis therapy failed to halt a pediatric patient’s progressive vertebral destruction.

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Salmonella Dublin was identified as the causative pathogen in a 14-year-old boy initially suspected of having spinal tuberculosis.
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The patient presented with systemic symptoms, imaging findings, and lived in a tuberculosis-endemic region, complicating diagnosis.
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Initial treatments for tuberculosis were ineffective, prompting surgical debridement for definitive diagnosis through tissue sampling.
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Following identification of Salmonella Dublin, anti-tuberculosis therapy was discontinued in favor of targeted antimicrobial treatment.
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The patient showed prompt improvement and completed treatment, recovering without complications and resuming normal activities.

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