What Is The Treatment Of Typhoid Fever?

by Dr Khezar Hayat
In Diseases · Drug Information Center · Medical
— 11 Apr, 2014 at 11:02 pm

Typhoid fever is among the classical disease that has ravaged human population for generations. The disease was first studied by Karl Eberth and George Gaffky, with the coworkers of Robert Koch. Eberth observed the causative agent in 1880.Gaffky isolated it in pure cultures 4 years later.

There are some 2500 unique serotypes of Salmonella. Typhoid fever is caused by S. enterica serotype typhi, a motile, non-spore forming gram negative bacteria which is rod like in shape.

Salmonella Typhi. (Photo credit: Bill Hathaway/yale.edu)

Treatment of Typhoid Fever:

Patient suffering from typhoid fever can be effectively treated by administering different types of antibiotics as mentioned in tables by considering World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Treatment of uncomplicated typhoid fever (WHO)

	Optimal therapy			Alternate effective drugs
Susceptability	Antibiotic	Daily dose mg/kg	Days	Antibiotic	Daily dose mg/kg	Days
Fully sensitive	Flouroquinolone e.g ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin	15	5-7	ChloramphenicolAmoxicillinTMP-SMX	50-7575-1008-40	14-211414
Multidrug resistance	Flouroquinolone or cefixime	1515-20	5-77-14	Azithromycincefixime	8-1015-20	77-14
Flouroquinolone resistant	Azithromycin or ceftriaxone	8-1075	710-14	Cefixime	20	7-14

Treatment of severe typhoid fever (WHO)

	Optimal therapy			Alternate effective drugs
Susceptability	Antibiotic	Daily dose mg/kg	Days	Antibiotic	Daily dose mg/kg	Days
Fully sensitive	Flouroquinolone e.g ofloxacin	15	10-14	ChloramphenicolAmoxicillinTMP-SMX	1001008-40	14-211414
Multidrug resistance	Flouroquinolone	15	10-14	Ceftriaxone or cefotaxime	6080	10-14
Flouroquinolone resistant	ceftriaxone or cefotaxime	6080	10-14	Flouroquinolones	20	7-14