Short-course treatment of typhoid fever with ciprofloxacin in south India

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Typhoid fever remains a significant global health concern, necessitating effective antimicrobial treatments.
• Antibiotic resistance poses challenges to conventional typhoid fever therapies.
• Short-course antibiotic regimens are desirable for improved patient compliance and reduced treatment costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a short-course ciprofloxacin regimen for treating adult patients with culture-positive typhoid fever.
• To assess key clinical response parameters including fever lysis and symptom resolution.
• To determine the incidence of relapse and carrier state post-treatment.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 34 adult patients diagnosed with culture-positive typhoid fever.
• Treatment administered: Ciprofloxacin 750 mg orally twice daily for 7 days.
• Outcome measures: Time to fever lysis, time to afebrile state, symptom resolution, and 90-day follow-up for relapse/carrier status.

Main Results:

• Patients achieved fever lysis in a mean of 3.21 days and stabilized temperature in 4.0 days.
• All patients experienced symptom resolution within the treatment and follow-up period.
• No cases of relapse or carrier state were identified after 90 days of follow-up.
• Reported side effects during ciprofloxacin therapy were minimal.

Conclusions:

• A short-course (7-day) oral ciprofloxacin regimen is an effective and safe treatment for adult typhoid fever.
• This regimen demonstrates rapid clinical response and a low risk of post-treatment complications.
• Ciprofloxacin offers a viable therapeutic option for typhoid fever, particularly in settings where shorter treatment durations are advantageous.