Introduction: Salmonella enterica ssp. arizonae is an uncommon human pathogen with serious infections reported
in immunocompromised hosts. In Europe, only a few cases have been described. Patients with this infection
usually have a history of contact with reptiles or travel abroad. We present a case report of infection in a patient
with hypoglobulinemia and a literature review.
Case presentation: We describe the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian Italian man with hypoglobulinemia who
presented to our hospital with sepsis and diarrhea. A stool culture yielded S. enterica ssp. arizonae. Our patient was
treated with oral ciprofloxacin and made a full recovery. We also present a review of the cases of S. enterica ssp.
arizonae infections previously reported in Europe.
Conclusions: The majority of infections from S. enterica ssp. arizonae occur in patients who are
immunocompromised. Data from the literature suggests that it may be difficult to eradicate the bacteria and thus,
prolonged antibiotic courses are often used. It would be advisable for clinicians to investigate for pre-existing
immune dysfunction if S. enterica ssp. arizonae is isolated. In Italy, although there have only been a few cases, the
likely route of transmission remains unclear and requires further surveillance.
