ABSTRACT
Objective: To describe the demographic, clinical, laboratory and bacteriological profile ofchildren with diagnosis of typhoid fever over a six-year period. Methods: Case recordanalysis of hospitalized children (≤5 y) with culture positive typhoid fever. Results: Bloodculture was positive in 100 (61%) of 166 suspected cases, with 78 isolates of SalmonellaTyphi and 22 Salmonella Paratyphi A. Only 12 children were aged below two years.Hepatomegaly (32), splenomegaly (44), eosinopenia (42), positive widal (15, 21.1%) andpositive Typhidot IgM (18, 28.1%) were not consistently observed. High susceptibility toAmpicillin, Chloramphenicol, Cotrimoxazole (87, 89, and 94, isolates, respectively), 100%susceptibility to third generation cephalosporins and Azithromycin, and high resistance toNalidixic Acid [(S. Typhi 48 (61.5%)], S. Paratyphi A 16 (72.7%)) were observed. Conclusion:We observed a high isolation rate of salmonella in blood culture, despite prior use ofantibiotics. Most salmonella isolates were susceptible in vitro to standard drugs, exceptnalidixic acid.