Salmonellosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Report of ten cases.

A retrospective study of Salmonella infection was carried out in 109 SLE patients followed over the last 15 yr at a rheumatology unit. Ten cases of non-typhoid salmonellosis were identified. All patients had bacteraemia and two focal pyogenic complications. No cases of salmonellosis limited to the gastrointestinal tract were found. Death occurred in three cases and was significantly associated with renal failure. A comparative analysis of the patients with and without salmonellosis failed to detect risk factors for infection other than an older age at SLE onset in patient with salmonellosis. We suggest that a heterogeneous group of SLE patients can be at risk for Salmonella bacteraemia. Renal failure or severe pharmacologic immunosuppression might lend an additional risk of complications to infection. It can be speculated that the increased susceptibility to both severe Salmonella infection and SLE might be related to the same immunogenetic background.