Changing characteristics of typhoid fever in Taiwan

J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2004 Apr;37(2):109-14.

Abstract

Typhoid fever, a systemic disease caused by Salmonella typhi, is classically characterized by fever and abdominal symptoms. Although now considered uncommon, it seems to have re-emerged in Taiwan in recent years. We conducted a retrospective study of the clinical characteristics and microbiologic findings in 24 confirmed cases of typhoid fever treated over a 7-year period at a medical center in northern Taiwan. There were 11 males and 13 females, including 15 adults (over 18 years in age) and 9 children. Their mean age was 24.7 years (range, 9 months to 58 years). Twelve patients had recently returned from abroad, mostly from Southeast Asia. The most common complaints were fever (24/24), diarrhea (18/24), abdominal pain (10/24), and cough (10/24). The average duration of fever before diagnosis was 14.1 days, with a maximum of 30 days. Relative bradycardia was noted in 6 patients. Leukopenia was noted in 2 patients. S. typhi was isolated from blood culture in 20 cases, from stool culture in 3 cases, and from bone marrow culture in 1 case. Widal test was only positive initially in 7/18 cases. Fever of unknown origin was the most common initial diagnosis. Typhoid or enteric fever was impressed initially in only 2 cases. Almost all isolates of S. typhi were susceptible to antibiotics currently used for typhoid fever, with only 1 isolate resistant to chloramphenicol. All patients survived after antibiotic treatment. Only 1 patient developed recurrence after a 10-day course of ceftriaxone. In conclusion, the diagnosis of typhoid fever is often challenging due to non-specific symptoms and lack of an immediate confirmatory test. It is important to include this disease in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients with abdominal symptoms.

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood / microbiology
  • Bone Marrow / microbiology
  • Child
  • Chloramphenicol Resistance
  • Cough / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Fever
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Salmonella typhi / drug effects
  • Taiwan
  • Typhoid Fever* / drug therapy
  • Typhoid Fever* / microbiology
  • Typhoid Fever* / pathology
  • Typhoid Fever* / physiopathology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents