Typhoid fever in Malaysian children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Typhoid fever remains a significant public health concern globally, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Bacteriologically confirmed typhoid fever in children presents unique clinical challenges and complication profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment outcomes, and complications of typhoid fever in children.
• To identify risk factors associated with the development of complications in pediatric typhoid fever cases.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study was conducted over five years involving 102 children with confirmed typhoid fever.
• Data collected included demographics, clinical symptoms, physical examination findings, laboratory results (Widal and Typhidot tests), treatment regimens, and complications.
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify correlations between clinical/laboratory findings and complications.

Main Results:

• Fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea were the most common symptoms. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were frequent physical findings.
• Positive Widal and Typhidot tests were observed in 62.5% and 96% of patients, respectively. Anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were also noted.
• Complications such as hepatitis, bone marrow suppression, and paralytic ileus occurred in one-third of patients. Splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia were identified as risk factors for complications.

Conclusions:

• Typhoid fever in children presents with characteristic symptoms and laboratory findings, with a notable rate of complications.
• Early identification of risk factors like splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia is crucial for timely intervention and management to prevent severe outcomes.