BOF: 9
A 26-year-old male has
returned from a backpacking trip to India. It is a week since arriving back in
Britain. He has had fever for two weeks and has been treated with an
antibiotic for a few days whilst in India. He does not know the name of the
drug used.
On examination he is febrile, has a few rose spots on his abdomen and
splenomegaly.
What source is the most likely to
provide a positive culture in view of the fact that he has been exposed to
antibiotics?
a) Blood
b) Rose
spots
c) Bile
d) Urine
e) Bone marrow
Answer:
e)
In typhoid fever, positive
cultures may be obtained from blood, bone marrow, urine, faeces, rose spots
and bile.
Bile has a high concentration of bacteria and the method of culturing it is by
using a duodenal string capsule to obtain intestinal fluid.
Bone marrow gives a good yield on culture and may provide culture even after
antibiotic treatment has been commenced.
Revision notes on
Typhoid fever
