[Typhoid and paratyphoid fever in adults in the Internal Medicine Department at Libreville (Gabon)].

We carried out a retrospective study of 150 files of patients suffering from typhoid or paratyphoid fever, confirmed bacteriologically, between January 1992 and December 1996 at Libreville. Young adults were the most frequently affected. These infections were associated with unstable living conditions and lack of cleanliness. Neurological (17%), digestive (12%) and cardiovascular (3%) complications were the principal factors aggravating the disease. The following serotypes were identified: Salmonella typhi (47%), S. paratyphi B (25%), S. paratyphi C (20%) and S. paratyphi A (8%). Salmonellosis was associated with schistosomiasis (13%), nematodiasis (2.3%), sickle-cell anemia (7%) and HIV infection (8%). The mortality rate was 3.3%. Fluoroquinolones are the molecules of choice for treating typhoid and paratyphoid fevers.