Clinico - Laboratory Profile of Enteric fever in Children

ABSTRACT

Introduction:Enteric fever remains an unresolved public health problem in India chiefly due to improper sanitary conditions and deficient supply of safe drinking water.Aims:The aim of the study was to study the clinical profile, laboratory parameters and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in culture positive enteric fever cases in pediatric age group. Materials and Methods:The study was designed as prospective study in tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad from April 2015 to September 2015. All the patients who were clinically suspected for enteric fever were investigated by blood culture and Widal test. Results: Culture positivity rate in our study was 65.97%(64,N=97), of which 89.06%(57) were positive for S.Typhi and 10.93%(7) were positive for S.Paratyphi A. Common clinical features seen along with fever were abdominal pain (53.85%), vomiting (41.76%) and diarrhea (19.78%). All the isolates were sensitive to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. The mean time to defervescence was 3.98 days. Conclusions: Enteric fever is major cause of febrile illness in children (especially school going). Fever with abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea were major clinical manifestations. There was 100% sensitivity to ceftriaxone, which was highly effective as monotherapy.