Multi-drug-resistant Salmonella typhi—a need for therapeutic reappraisal

Summary

Enteric fever caused by Salmonella typhi resistant to all the standard first-line antibiotics is emerging as a major problem in developing countries. Fifteen such culture-proven cases were treated with ceftriaxone (6), cefotaxime (5) or ciprofloxacin (4). The earliest defervescence occurred with ceftriaxone (mean 3.3 days). Clinical cures were obtained with all three drugs with only one child having a relapse. Ciprofloxacin, by virtue of its cost and an oral route of administration, is the ideal choice in a developing country.