Salmonella spondylodiscitis of the thoracic vertebrae mimicking spine tuberculosis

Extraintestinal Salmonella infection involving the thoracic spine is very rare. It commonly presents with non-specific chronic back pain and can occur with no gastrointestinal manifestation. Blood test results and imaging findings are often indistinguishable from more common chronic spine infections such as spine tuberculosis. Culture studies remain the key to establishing a definitive diagnosis and subsequently successful treatment. We report a case in which a patient presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of spine tuberculosis, yet the culture examination revealed otherwise.