Abstract
BACKGROUND: Enteric fever is the most common cause of community acquired blood stream infections
in under developed and developing countries. The enteric fever is exclusive to humans
and transmitted through the faeco-oral route. Though India is an endemic zone for
enteric fever, the data is very scarce from Central India. The present study was undertaken
to determine the prevalence of enteric fever in this region and to know the antimicrobial
susceptibility pattern of the isolated typhoidal Salmonellae.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a retrospective analysis of blood culture positive cases of enteric
fever over a period of two years (December 2015 to December 2017). All blood cultures
submitted for suspected enteric fever and associated symptoms were included in the
study. Relevant demographic, clinical and laboratory data were analyzed.
RESULT: A total of 51 cases (3.56%) were of typhoidal Salmonella from a total of 1430 blood
culture submission. Salmonella Typhi were 70.5% while Salmonella Paratyphi A were
29.5% of the total isolated Salmonellae. The most vulnerable age group was 10-19years
(41.2%). The mean minimum inhibitory concentration of ciprofloxacin for Salmonella
Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A are 1.20 and 1.97 μg/ml respectively. All the isolates
were susceptible to ceftriaxone. Highest isolation was in the July – September quarter
(35.3%).
CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of the disease which needs urgent focus on safe water,
sanitation services and also to establish guidelines for empiric therapy for enteric
fever.
Key words
Bloodstream infection - ciprofloxacin resistance - enteric fever - Salmonella