TYPHOID FEVER

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE WITH LEVOFLOXACIN, ITS EFFICACY AND SAFETY.

Abstract

Objectives: To find out the efficacy and safety of Levofloxacin
in patients suffering from typhoid fever. Design: Non-comparative and prospective study. Setting: Medical Units of
Allied & DHQ Hospital (PMC) Faisalabad. Period: From May 2002 to July 2004. Material & Methods: All suspected
febrile patients were examined and provisionally diagnosed to have typhoid fever were admitted for the purpose of
study till they were satisfactorily discharged. Results: This clinical study was conducted on 70 patients of Enteric Fever.
Fifty-two patients were male and 18 were female. The mean age for male patients in the study sample was 37.58± 8.13
while the mean age of females was 21.92± 4.73 years. Fever as a symptom was present in all 70(100%) of the
patients. Anorexia was there in 61(85.5%)patients and abdominal pain in 49(70%) patients. Twenty-seven (38.5%)
patients had constipation along with other features. Diarrhea was present in 6 (8.5%) patients. Relative bradycardia
was present in 20(28.5%) patients. Hepatomegaly was there in 31(44.3%) and Splenomegaly in 24(34.3%). Elevated
liver enzymes were found in 29 (41.4%) of the patients and blood cultures positive for Salmonella typhi was seen in
19(27.1%) patients. Widal test was positive at dilution of 1:160 in almost all of the cases and at 1:320 dilution in 18%
of cases in current study. The success rate of Levofloxacin in our study was 100% in the form of settlement of fever
and other symptoms and signs. The side effects were seen in 17(24.2%) patients. Conclusions: In conclusion
levofloxacin is effective in treatment of typhoid fever and its use in this indication is safe.