In children with sickle cell disease presenting with osteomyelitis, the most common pathogen is:
S. aureus.
+S. pneumoniae.
+E. coli.
+Salmonella species.
+Enterococcal species.
Up to two-thirds of cases of osteomyelitis in children with sickle cell disease involve Salmonella. It is unclear why these patients are susceptible to Salmonella specifically. Patients with sickle cell disease are at higher risk for infection with encapsulated organisms due to the impairment of macrophage function.