Title: Clinically detected Enteric Fever in Children – Blood Culture as a Diagnostic Aid
Authors: Dr Kanai Lal Barik, Dr Rituparna Bhattacharya, Dr Uttam Kumar Paul, Dr Arup Bandyopadhyay
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i4.199
Abstract
Enteric fever is considered a globally threatening disease in several developing countries, caused by the bacterium “Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi”. Taking diagnosis into concern, blood culture technique is the most reliable diagnostic method, but is complicated and time consuming to be applicable in developing countries, especially in remote places and villages. In such unfavorable circumstances, we attempted to understand the current feasibility of blood culture as a diagnostic aid in clinically detected enteric fever patients in children population below 12 year age group to gain insight in order to develop better diagnostic strategies in the future. A total of 151 patients, of both sexes, below 12 years of age with fever of 3 or more days without any history of antibiotic therapy were included for the study. Blood sample was collected from each patient, and culture was carried out for salmonella using media, the results analyzed thereafter. The results showed that out of 151 clinically detected enteric fever patients, 43 (28%) were positive for typhoid (S.typhi) and 19 (12%) were positive for paratyphoid A (S.paratyphi A). 62 patients showed positive blood culture results, i.e. ~ 40% of the patients.
Thus the mass inaccurate diagnosis and empirical therapy practiced within the community is largely unacceptable. Proper control measures and better diagnostic strategies are warranted for the effective management of this medically and socially devastating malady.
Keywords: Enteric Fever, Diagnostic Aid, Blood Culture, Children.
