[Demarcation of infection with Salmonella typhi and S. paratyphi against Salmonella enteritidis in children].

BACKGROUND

Typhoid and paratyphoid infections (STP) are an important differential diagnosis for Salmonella enteritidis infections (NTS). The aim of this study is to carve out clinical differences between both infections.

PATIENTS/

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all patients admitted to our hospital between 2007 and 2011 with a diagnosis of STP infection. History, clinical course and laboratory findings were compared with age-matched patients suffering from NTS.

RESULTS/DISCUSSION: All patients with an STP-infection showed had a positive travel history (as compared to 11.1% in the NTS group, p<0.01). Salmonella were mostly isolated from blood cultures (n=7/9) in the STP group as compared to 1/16 in the NTS group, where S. enteridis was mainly isolated from faecal cultures (p<0,01). The duration and height of fever as well as the time of hospitalization were significantly longer with STP infections than with NTS infections. Eosinopenia was observed both in STP-(100%) and NTS-infections (77.8%).

CONCLUSION

A positive travel history is crucial to the identification of a STP infection, as well as an eosinopenia.