Treatment of typhoid fever with ofloxacin

Ofloxacin, 300 mg 12-hourly, was given orally to 64 patients with typhoid fever, all with positive blood cultures. Almost 80% of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and co-trimoxazole, but sensitive to ofloxacin and norfloxacin. Fever subsided within five days in most patients (mean 3.2 +/- 1.1), rates of clinical effectiveness and bacteriological cure both being 100%. Thirty patients were followed for 1-3 months after the completion of therapy with no occurrence of relapse.