Study of clinical profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in culture-positive typhoid fever cases

Background: Salmonella enteric serotype Typhi has created a significant therapeutic problem as these strains have developed resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials for the treatment of typhoid fever. Objectives: To assess the clinical profile and sensitivity patterns to anti-typhoid drugs. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 106 culture-positive typhoid cases admitted in a tertiary care hospital during the years 2005-2008. Results: Records of 106 patients were evaluated, 83 (78.3%) males and 23 (21.7%) females. Fever was present in all patients. Headache in 63 (59.4%) patients and generalized body ache in 53 (32.5%) patients were the most common symptoms, while spleenomegaly in 47 (44.3%) patients and hepatomegaly in 42 (39.6%) patients were the common presenting signs. A maximum sensitivity of 96.6% was observed with cephalosporins, whereas a resistance of 29.2% was seen with fluoroquinolones. Conclusion: A high degree of sensitivity was noted to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and sulphonamides, showing a trend of roll-back of sensitivity to conventional antibiotics.