Epidemiological shift, seasonal variation and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among enteric fever pathogens in...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers are significant public health concerns, particularly in South Asia.
• Understanding the etiological agents, incidence patterns, and antimicrobial resistance is crucial for effective disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the incidence of paratyphoid fever versus typhoid fever.
• To investigate the seasonality of these infections.
• To assess antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, specifically for fluoroquinolones, in Salmonella Paratyphi A and Salmonella Typhi.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient data from a tertiary hospital in South India.
• Data collection spanned from January 2005 to December 2006.
• Microbiological and susceptibility testing was performed on isolated bacterial strains.

Main Results:

• Paratyphoid fever incidence (53.8%) was higher than typhoid fever (44.9%).
• Paratyphoid fever exhibited a distinct seasonal pattern, peaking post-monsoon (October-December), unlike typhoid fever.
• Fluoroquinolone resistance was significantly higher in Salmonella Paratyphi A (98.8%) than in Salmonella Typhi (46.5%).

Conclusions:

• Paratyphoid fever is a more prevalent cause of enteric fever in this South Indian region.
• The observed seasonality of paratyphoid fever has implications for public health interventions.
• High fluoroquinolone resistance in Salmonella Paratyphi A necessitates careful therapeutic choices and highlights the need for updated treatment guidelines.