Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole in the treatment of enteric fever.

Twenty-three patients with typhoid fever diagnosed by blood culture were treated with co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole, 1 :5) at a dosage of 10 mg trimethoprim/kg/day in two divided daily doses for 10 days. Twenty-two patients responded, the mean period to defervescence being three days and to relief of toxaemia being 1-7 days. Another nineteen patients with similarly proven typhoid were treated with chloramphenicol (100 mg/kg/day) in four divided daily doses for 10 days. Eighteen patients responded, defervescence occurring in an average of 4-1 days and relief of toxaemia in a mean of 2-6 days. None of the patients included in the study developed complications, relapses or became a convalescent carrier during the period of observation.