All issues > Volume 15(3); 1972

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1972;15(3):206-214. Published online March 31, 1972.

Clinical Studies on Typhoid Fever in Childhood

K.J Lee¹, H.H Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Clinical studies was made on 98 patients who had been cared for typhoid fever in the pediatric ward of Ewha Womans University Hospital during the period of September, 1965 through August, 1969. 1. The incidence of typhoid fever was seemed increasing annually. Although 57% of all cases occured through June to August, the autumn is the next main period of incidence. It was more common in boy than girl, 66.1% and 33. 3%. The peak incidence comes between six to ten years of age. Over a half of the cases seek for Medical treatment within one week following the onset of the disease. 2. The chief complaints are., fever (93.6%), abdominal pain (41.9%), haedache (37.6%), diarrhea (34. 4%). nausea and vomiting (32. 3%), anorexia (26. 8%) and cough (20. 4%). The main physical findings are fever (91.4%), hepatomegaly (52.9%), abdominal tenderness (19.4%), bradycardia (18.3%), spleno-megaly (16.4%) and rose spots (4. 3%). 3. The hematologic features of this patients show leukopenia in 33. Z% and anemia is present in 22.6%. Isolation of S. typhi. from the feces is observed in 25.9% of the cases and blood cultures are positive in 17. 4%. Widal test was positive in 90. 3% of the cases and the incidence of the positive tests increase rapidly in the second week of the illness. The group of cases treated previously before admission gives the positive Widal test in 77. 7%, while the non-theated group, 95.4%. The group of cases recieved vaccination presents the positive tests in 77. 3% and the non-recievers,94. 4%. The serologic titers ^during the period active treatment present increase in three cases, no changes in three cases, and decrease in one case among the seven cases. 4. The period required for defeverescence is 4. 6 days with CM only, 5.9 days with CM and prednisolone, 5. 9 days with CM and TM, and 4. 4 days with AM only. 5. The complications was developed in 21. 5% of all cases such as bronchitis and hepatitis.

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