RESUMEN
Enteric fever [Typhoid fever] is widely recognized as a major public health problem in developing countries. To study the clinical profile and complication of enteric fever in children. Prospective descriptive study. This study was conducted at the Paediatric Department at Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur from January 2010 to December 2011. This was a prospective study, included all patients of enteric fever, of both sex and age ranged from 1 year to 13 years. All cases of enteric fever were confirmed by serological test Typhidot IgM or IgM and IgG positive. A total of 360 patients of enteric fever were studied during 2 years. Mean age of presentation was 7.47 years and 166 [46.12%] patients were < 5 years whereas 194 [53.88%] were > 5years of age. Male: Female ratio was 2:1. Clinical profile of patients shows, that fever was present in all cases, vomiting 180 [50%], anorexia 180 [50%], headache 126 [35%], abdominal pain 108 [30%], diarrhea 108 [30%], weakness 102 [28.33%], cough 90 [25%], constipation 36 [10%] cases, and coated tongue was found in 275 [75%], tender abdomen 140 [38.88%], hepatomegaly 90 [25.0%], splenomegaly 76 [21.11%], toxic appearance 72 [20.0%], dehydration 70 [19.44%], pallor 54 [15%] and relative bradycardia 12 [3.33%] of cases. Complications were found in 88 [24.44%] of cases, raised ALT in 66 [18.3%] jaundice 6 [1.66%], intestinal hemorrhage in 4 [1.11%], peritonitis and osteomyelitis 3 [0.83%] respectively. Common clinical features of enteric fever include fever, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache, coated tongue, anemia, hepatomegaly and elevated liver enzymes. Diarrhea is more common in children < 5 years. Complication due to late diagnosis and drug resistance will persist in our part of country