Hepatic manifestations in typhoid fever.

Thirty one children with typhoid fever aged 2 months to 12 years and blood culture positive for multidrug resistant S. typhi were prospectively studied for their hepatic functions at the time of hospitalization and 2-3 weeks after completion of antibiotic therapy. Hepatic manifestations included hepatomegaly (51.6%); jaundice (16.1%); raised levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (61.3%), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) (48.4%), alkaline phosphatase (AP) (22.6%) and serum bilirubin (SB) (6.1%); reduced levels of serum albumin (SA) (41.9%); prolonged prothrombin time (PT) (9.7%) and abnormal ultrasound abdomen (19.3%). Hepatic dysfunction was a notable feature even in those cases without hepatomegaly, with raised levels of SGOT (60%), SGPT (40%), AP (20%), SB (6.7%), decreased SA (53.3%) and prolonged PT (6.7%). There was no correlation between the degree of hepatic enlargement or hyperbilirubinemia with abnormalities in liver functions. Hepatic dysfunction was noticed to be transient, as all these parameters returned to normal within 2-3 weeks after successful antibiotic therapy.