typhoid

otherwise known as Salmonella typhi
Etiology gram-negative, oxidase-negative rod, facultative anaerobe
Epidemiology faecal-oral spread
Clinical presentation enterocolitis: basically gastroenteritis

enteric fever:
RLQ pain, hepatosplenomegaly
rose spot exanthem
"relative bradycardia" sure
Pathogenesis enterocolitis: invasion of epi/subepith tissues

enteric fever: invasion of intestinal wall → spread to reticuloendothelial system; bacteraemia; can colonise Peyer's patches and pass into systemic circulation

of course, sepsis is possible.
Investigations: blood cultures
Management: 1st line: cipro or cefotaxime
azithromycin
chronic carrier state - bowel/gallbladder colonisation

critical complications (deranged physiology)

  • Intestinal perforation -classically, the ileum perforates around the third week of illness
  • Vasodilated shock
  • GI haemorrhage
  • Jaundice
  • Hepatic and septic encephalopathy
  • Neuropsychiatric manifestations
  • Septic arthritis
  • Pericarditis

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