Clinical profile and outcome in enteric fever.

Sixty five blood culture positive cases of S. typhi were studied for clinical profile. A total of 64.6% were multidrug resistant and 35.4% were chloramphenicol sensitive. In patients with multidrug resistant S. typhi the age was higher (p < 0.01), and incidence of complications such as shock (35.7%), encephalopathy (42.9%), myocarditis (14.3%) and gastric hemorrhage (4.7%) were more frequent, compared to chloramphenicol sensitive group. Cases with multidrug resistant S. typhi (MDRST) were treated with oral ciprofloxacin; the period of defervescence of fever was significantly less (p < 0.05) compared to the chloramphenicol group. Our study suggests the use of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of MDRST without any side effects.