Year: 2026 | Month: November | Volume: 16 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 111-114
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20261113
Typhoid Fever Beyond the Gut: A Postmortem Diagnosis of Fatal Myocarditis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Case Report
Usha Rani1, Mehak Jindal2, Renuka Verma3, Sant Prakash Kataria3, Sunita Singh4
1Assistant Professor, 3Professor, 4Senior Professor & Head, Department of Pathology, PT BD Sharma PGIMS, University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
2Senior Resident, Department of Pathology, Adesh Medical College, Mohri
Corresponding Author: : Usha Rani
ABSTRACT
Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, is a systemic infection that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract but may rarely involve other organ systems. Cardiopulmonary complications such as myocarditis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are uncommon and often underrecognized. We report a fatal case of enteric fever complicated by myocarditis and ARDS, diagnosed on postmortem examination.
A 28-year-old female presented with fever, chills, rigours, and vomiting for five days. Laboratory investigations revealed severe thrombocytopenia, and serology was positive for typhoid fever. Despite empirical antimicrobial therapy, the patient deteriorated rapidly, developed acute respiratory distress, and succumbed four days after admission. Autopsy findings were grossly unremarkable. Histopathological examination revealed lymphocytic myocarditis and diffuse alveolar damage with hyaline membrane formation consistent with ARDS. Other organs showed no significant pathology.
This case underscores the importance of recognising rare but fatal cardiopulmonary complications of typhoid fever and maintaining a high index of clinical suspicion in severe cases.
Key words: typhoid, myocarditis, acute respiratory distress syndrome