<i>Salmonella enteritidis</i> causing myocarditis in a previously healthy 22-year-old male

Abstract

Myocarditis is mostly caused by viral infections and rarely caused by bacterial pathogens, especially in immunocompetent individuals. Bacterial myocarditis due to Salmonella is rare, especially in countries with improved sanitation that minimize contamination of Salmonella typhi serotypes. We here present a case of a previous healthy 22-year-old male that came to the emergency room with chest pain. His symptoms occurred after a period of profuse diarrhea, fever and hematochezia. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of myocarditis. Stool culture was positive for Salmonella enteritidis. Myocarditis due to Salmonella is rare but may still occur in western countries. The inter-individual response to the pathogens and its virulence mechanisms and male gender is factors for developing myocarditis. We here add to the numbers of cases with myocarditis due to S. enteritidis. A higher suspicion and more frequent ECG and troponin testing might result in an increase of patients with subclinical myocarditis.