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Chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid fever: an emerging problem in Oman
1Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman.
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Multiply drug-resistant Salmonella typhi, uncommon in Oman, emerged in 1990. By 1991, 33% of typhoid fever cases showed resistance to chloramphenicol, suggesting alternative treatments like ciprofloxacin.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Multiply drug-resistant Salmonella typhi was historically uncommon in Oman.
- The emergence of chloramphenicol-resistant S. typhi was first documented in 1990 in an Indian expatriate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of drug-resistant Salmonella typhi in Oman.
- To assess the suitability of chloramphenicol as empirical therapy for typhoid fever in Oman.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of typhoid fever cases diagnosed in Oman.
- Microbiological characterization of Salmonella typhi isolates, including antibiotic susceptibility testing.
Main Results:
- In 1991, 58 typhoid fever cases were diagnosed, with 19 (33%) resistant to chloramphenicol.
- All chloramphenicol-resistant S. typhi cases were linked to Indian expatriates or Omani nationals with recent travel history to India.
Conclusions:
- Chloramphenicol resistance in Salmonella typhi has become a significant concern in Oman.
- Empirical treatment with chloramphenicol may be inappropriate for patients with suspected typhoid fever, especially those with travel history to India.
- Ciprofloxacin is suggested as a potential alternative treatment option.