[Total hip prosthesis infected with Salmonella dublin].

In 1983, the bovine-specific Salmonella Dublin was demonstrated in man in Denmark. The organism is frequently isolated from blood but rarely causes gastroenteritis. The frequency of infection following hip replacement is less than 2% with Staphylococcus aureus as the commonest agent while Gram-negative rods are rarer but are considered to be more serious. Infection around a hip replacement frequently implies that the prosthesis must be removed. A case in which a hip replacement was infected with Salmonella Dublin is described here. The patient had looked after infected calves until operation and it is presumed that the prosthesis was infected haematogenically, either primarily or later. The infection was controlled surgically without removal of the prosthesis which was stable. Even although the condition is satisfactory six months after revision, the long-term prognosis is poor.