Objective: The aim was to evaluate the typhoid fever cases in which S. typhi was isolated in blood cultures with respect to treatment using clinical and laboratory findings.

Material and Method: Patients hospitalized with the pre-diagnosis of typhoid fever and positive blood cultures were included in the study. Conventional microbiological methods and VITEK 2 automated system were used in the identification of S. typhi.

Results: Of the cases, 5 were female (71.4%), 2 were male (28.6%) with mean age of 32.57±11.54 (age range: 14-48). One case had received an antibiotic before being diagnosed prior to hospitalization. S. typhi was isolated in blood cultures of all cases. The most common complaints on admission were fever, weakness, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Physical examination of cases revealed, in decreasing order of frequency, fever, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, coated tongue, relative bradycardia and roseola. Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates were found in 85.7% of the cases, increased C-reactive protein levels in 71.4%, increased AST and ALT levels in 57.2%, anemia in 42.8%, thrombocytopenia in 42.8% and leucopenia in 28.5%. 10-day therapy with ciprofloxacin in 5 cases (71.4%) and ceftriaxone in 2 cases (28.6%) were used. All cases were discharged with cure. Mesenteric lymphadenitis was found in one case (14.3%).

Conclusion: Typhoid fever is an endemic infective disease in our country which should be considered in every patient with fever and is transmitted through feces. In patients with pre-diagnosis of typhoid fever, blood cultures should be obtained before initiation of antibiotic therapy.