Factors Influencing Fever Defervescence in Children with Enteric Fever.

The duration of fever defervescence in enteric fever has been observed to be increasing in recent times. An evaluation of the factors influencing fever defervescence in 150 children aged 1 month-18 years with confirmed (blood culture yielding Salmonella typhi or S. paratyphi) enteric fever was undertaken, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ceftriaxone and azithromycin were determined. The median (q1, q3) time to fever defervescence was found to be 88 (58.75, 117.25) hours. Prior antibiotic therapy, splenomegaly and systemic complications were significantly associated with late defervescence of fever. All isolates were found to be sensitive to ceftriaxone and azithromycin, with MIC values well below the established susceptibility breakpoints.