KUMJ | VOL. 2 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 7 | JULY-SEPTEMBER, 2004
Typhoid fever in Dhulikhel hospital, Nepal
Sharma N, Koju R, Karmacharya B, Tamang MD, Makaju R, Nepali N, Shrestha P, Adhikari D
Abstract: One hundred and twelve cases of typhoid fever presenting in outpatient and emergency department of Dhulikhel Hospital in Nepal were studied. In this study, it was found that 71% typhoid fever cases were less than 30 years of age group with male to female ratio of 3:1. Fever over 5 days followed by headache and chills were major presenting symptoms. Widal test and blood culture for Salmonella typhi were positive in 59% and 49% cases respectively. Two third of our study population had total leucocyte count of normal range. The fever clearance time was significantly better with ofloxacin compared to ciprofloxacin (p<0.05) and ceftriaxone compared to chloramphenicol (p<0.05). The release from treatment was significantly shorter with ceftriaxone compared to ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol (p<0.01). Ceftriaxone was found to be 100% sensitive to salmonella typhi. Amoxicillin was only 52.1% sensitive to Salmonella typhi. Early diagnosis and institution of appropriate antibiotic therapy is of paramount importance in the management of typhoid patients.
Keyword : Typhoid fever, salmonella typhi, fever clearance time, release from treatment