Typhoid fever diagnosed by isolation of S. typhi from gastric aspirate

The diagnosis of typhoid fever (TF) is usually established by culturing S. typhi from the blood or by serology. In this report we describe three patients in whom the diagnosis of TF was made by the isolation of S. typhi from gastric contents, despite negative blood urine and stool cultures. Culture of gastric contents has not previously been recognized as a diagnostic tool in this disease.