Gastrointestinal complications of typhoid fever in children. A review of 13 cases.

Thirteen pediatric cases of gastrointestinal complications of blood culture -positive typhoid fever were reviewed. They contributed 4.4% of all cases o f typhoid fever seen during the same period. There were eight cases of gast rointestinal bleeding, two of acute cholecystitis, two of hepatitis, and on e of a sealed-off intestinal perforation. Concomitant nongastrointestinal c omplications were common. Overall, these data are similar to those in the l iterature. Increased awareness and improved treatment of the gastrointestin al complications of typhoid fever would have a beneficial impact on prognos is.