Clinical observations were done on 456 cases of typhoid fever treated as in-patients at the Daegu Fatima Hospital over a period of 8 years, from January 1967 to December 1974, and the following results were obtained,
1. Me ratio of the number of the typhoid f ever to the total number of patients admitted to internal medicine during the same period was 3.7
as a whole and the yearly ratio has increased since 1971.
2. The monthly incidence of typhoid fever disclosed abrupt increase in May and remained so until November. The ratio between male and female was 1.2 : 1 and the peak age incidence was in the 2nd decade. amounting to 38.6% of the total.
3. The cardinal manifestations on admission were fever, chill, headache, abdominal pain, general malaise, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly and rose spots.
4. A leukocyte counts less than 5, 000 per cubic millimeter were seen in 46. 1%, between 5, 000 and 10, 000 in 50. 0% but greater than 10, 000 in 3.9%.
5. Significant antibody levels (Widal reaction) defined as a titer of 1 : 640 developed in 34.6%of the patients.
6. Of the 147 patients who received blood culture, Salmonella Typhosa were isolated in 51 (34.7 %,`,, however, of 98 patients who received stool culture, the organisms were isolated in 37 (37. 8%).
7. An abnormal electrocardiographic findings of typhoid fever disclosed prolongation of P-R interval in 9.2%, Q-T prolongation in 14.2% and STT changes in 18.0%.
8. The duration for defervescence in patients treated with chloramphenicol 2.0gm daily were 35 days in 43. 4% of the 456 cases.
9. Intestinal bleeding was observed in 16.7%, intestinal perforation in 3. 1% and pneumonia in 1. 1%.
10. The mortality rate during hospitalization was in 0. 7% and the causes of death were due to intestinal bleeding an´d perforation.
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