SALMONELLA SEPTIC ARTHRITIS IN ZAMBIAN CHILDREN

Thirty-four children under the age of 3 years with septic arthritis pr esented to Mukinge Hospital between 1 January 1992 and 31 March 1993. Twenty-six of these cultured Salmonella spp. The salmonella group comp rised 17 males and 9 females with an average age of 10 months. Most pa tients were anaemic and all were under 50th centile for weight. The co mmonest presentation was swelling, pyrexia and non-use of the limb. Th e mean white cell count (WBC) was 14 000/mm(3) and the mean erythrocyt e sedimentation rate (ESR) was 15.8 mm/h, but in many cases both the W BC and ESR were normal. All patients were treated with drainage and an tibiotics. All made a good recovery and were discharged pain free, apy rexial and using the affected joint. One patient was readmitted becaus e of recurrent infection. Nine patients reviewed after 1 month had con tinued good function. We consider that malnutrition and local trauma a re predisposing factors to the development of salmonella septic arthri tis in a population where salmonella is endemic.