Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A infections in Cambodian children, 2012 - 2016.
Kheng C., Meas V., Pen S., Sar P., Turner P.
OBJECTIVES:Enteric fever remains an important diagnostic and treatment challenge in febrile children living in the tropics. In the context of a national Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A outbreak, this retrospective study objective was to compare features of S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A infections in Cambodian children. METHODS:Clinical and laboratory features were reviewed for 192 blood culture-confirmed children with S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A infection presenting to a paediatric referral hospital in Siem Reap, 2012 - 2016. RESULTS:Children with S. Typhi infection were younger, were more likely to have chills and/or diarrhoea, and were more frequently hospitalised than those with S. Paratyphi A. Over three quarters (88.3%) of S. Typhi isolates were multi-drug resistant, compared to none of the S. Paratyphi A. CONCLUSION:In this small study of Cambodian children, Salmonella Typhi infections were more severe than S. Paratyphi A. Antibiotic resistance limits treatment options for enteric fever in this population.