J Nurs Acad Soc.  1976 Jun;6(1):60-71.

Clinical review of Typhoid Fever Patients

• Choi JS

Abstract

The auther reviewed the medical records of 96 typhoid fever patients who were diagnosed, admitted, and treated at Seagrave Memorial Hospital from January 1 ,1973 through August 31, 1975, Diagnosis was determined by clinical observation, serology and bacteriology, eighty patients were treated medically, the remaining 16 patients required surgical intervention. The following results were obtained: 1) The age distribution of the patients revealed that 33.3% were between 10 and 19 years old, 21.9% were between 20 and 29, and 19.8% were between 30 and 39. The majority of patients were from these more active age groups. Male to female sex ratio was 1.3 I 1 . 2 ) Seasonal distribution was observed. Most illness occurred in the summer and autumn months. 3) 84.3%of the patients came from farm families. 4 ) Duration between onset and admission averaged 16.0 days. The group without complications was admitted after an average of 15. 1 days; The group with complications was admitted after an average of 19.4 days. 5) Methods of treatment before admission were as flollows: 10.4% at medical clinics, 61.5% at pharmacies (antibiotics 47.9%, other drugs 13.5%), 7.3% by herb medications, 20.8% had no treatment. 6) Main clinical symptoms were as follows: fever 93.8%, headache 47.9%, abdominal pain 47.9%, chills 38.5%, cough 36.5%, general weakness 26.0%, nausea & vomiting 24.0% and generalized pain 21.9%. 7 ) Temperature of patients on admission: 22. 9% were 39degrees C or more, 67. 6% were between 37degrees C and 38degrees C, and 9.4% were 37degrees C or less. 8) Occurrance of intestional bleeding after unset of disease averaged 9.3 days; perforation occurred at an average of 19.1 days. 9 ) Interval between onset of major complication and surgical intervention averaged 2. 8 days. 10) Among the 68 patients who underwent the bacteriological test the positive rate was 44.1% (30). The positive rates for each seperate culture method were as follows; 20.4% in the blood culture, 40.4% in the stool culture and 6.7% in the urine culture. Among these bacteriological positive patients 15 patients had a negative results or less than 160 titer of widal reaction. 11) The initial widal test of the total group showed a counts of 160 titer or more in 60.4% and less than 160 titer in 39.6%.

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Age Distribution
Bacteriology
Chills
Cough
Diagnosis
Female
Fever
Headache
Hemorrhage
Humans
Male
Medical Records
Nausea
Pharmacies
Seasons
Sex Ratio
Typhoid Fever*
Vomiting
Young Adult