Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Clinical Profiles of Children with Enteric Fever: Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: The clinical features are nonspecific, vary by community, and can be difficult to distinguish clinically from other febrile illnesses.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to present the socio-demographic factors and clinical features of enteric fever in children.

Methodology: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics in Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2014 to July 2018. It included 260 hospitalized children aged 2 months to 15 years with either positive blood culture (Salmonella typhi or paratyphi) or fourfold titre in Widal test.

Results: Majority were under 5 with Female to male ratio of 1:0.9. About 65% household purified water by both boiling and filter; 32.7% children took outside food. Above 94% children did not receive typhoid vaccine while 90% parents lack knowledge about the vaccination. Highest prevalence of enteric fever recorded in the month of May- October. The commonest symptoms were fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and anorexia; coated tongue and hepatomegaly were prominent signs.

Conclusion: Enteric fever mostly affects under-5 children and lacks specific symptoms and signs with peak prevalence in May to October.

Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases December 2021;8(2):75-81