Enteric Fever in a Multicultural Canadian Tertiary Care Pediatric Setting: A 28-Year Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Epidemiology of enteric fever
• Antimicrobial resistance patterns

Background:

• Enteric fever remains a significant public health concern, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Travel to endemic areas is a primary risk factor for acquiring enteric fever in pediatric populations.
• Understanding trends in enteric fever is crucial for effective prevention and management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the trends and characteristics of enteric fever cases over a 28-year period at a tertiary care pediatric center.
• To identify risk factors, treatment challenges, and outcomes associated with pediatric enteric fever.
• To assess the impact of antibiotic resistance and vaccination status on enteric fever management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of pediatric enteric fever cases admitted to a large tertiary care center over 28 years.
• Data collection included patient demographics, travel history, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, treatment regimens, and outcomes.
• Analysis of antibiotic susceptibility patterns and documented vaccination status.

Main Results:

• The majority of enteric fever cases occurred in children with recent travel history to the Indian subcontinent.
• Significant antibiotic resistance was observed among the causative pathogens.
• Low documented vaccination rates were noted, alongside frequent delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation.

Conclusions:

• Travel to the Indian subcontinent is a major risk factor for pediatric enteric fever.
• The rise in antibiotic resistance necessitates careful empirical treatment and susceptibility testing.
• Improving vaccination coverage and timely medical intervention are critical for reducing the burden of enteric fever in children.