Clinical–Epidemiological Profile of Pediatric Enteric Fever: Insights from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Almora Region of Uttarakhand

Background: Enteric fever remains a significant cause of morbidity among children in India, particularly in resource-limited, hilly regions with poor access to clean water and sanitation.Diagnostic challenges and increasing antimicrobial resistance complicate timely management.In remote regions like Kumaon in Uttarakhand, tertiary care centers often serve as the only referral point, emphasizing the need to understand local disease patterns, complications, and diagnostic limitations.Aims and materials and methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care center in the Almora region of Uttarakhand.Pediatric patients diagnosed clinically with enteric fever were included.Diagnosis was primarily based on Widal test results and clinical presentation, as Typhidot was not routinely available and only performed externally in a few cases.Blood cultures were sent where feasible, though positivity was limited, likely due to 45% of patients receiving antibiotics before admission.Data on clinical presentation, laboratory findings, geographic distribution, and complications were recorded and analyzed.Conclusion and significance: Enteric fever continues to burden the pediatric population in hilly regions, with diagnostic limitations due to prior antibiotic use and unavailability of advanced testing.The study emphasizes high index of clinical suspicion, as well as need for improved diagnostic infrastructure and antibiotic stewardship in resource-limited settings.Public health interventions, including awareness regarding early care-seeking, safe antibiotic use, hygiene practices, and vaccination, are critical to reduce disease burden and prevent complications in such underserved regions.