CHANGING SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN TYPHOID FEVER: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY AT KHYBER TEACHING HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of shivering, intensity of fever, continuity of fever and duration of fever in culture positive patients of typhoid fever admitted to the department of child health, Khyber Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective chart review of 296 patients who were admitted to the department fulfi lling our inclusion criteria. The data included was dated 15th may 2021 to 14 may 2023. The data was collected from HMIS.Results: In Majority (68.2%) of the patients the fever was of shorter duration and high-grade (80%). Only 41 had intermittent fever. Similarly, only 80 (27%) had shivering and chills. Cough was present in 92 (31%) patients. Among these, 72 (78.2%) patients had high-grade fever whereas 20 (21.7%) had low-grade fever, 68 (74%) had fever for a duration of less than 3 weeks, 12(13%) had 3-4 weeks and 12(13%) had a duration of more than 4 weeks. Out of 41 (13.9%) patients with intermittent fever, 9(22%) had a duration of more than 4 weeks.Conclusion: Although, cough, low-grade fever, fever of duration more than 4 weeks, intermittent fever and shivering was present in lesser frequency in patients with typhoid fever, these are still some of the presenting characteristics of fever which should be considered by the treating physician while considering a diagnosis.