Neuropsychiatric complications of typhoid fever

Abstract EN

No national study could be found on the subject of neuropsychiatric complications of typhoid fever.

The present attempt estimates the frequency of such complications amongst (125) typhoid fever patients to be (12%).

Patients were mainly admitted to psychiatric wards rather than medical or neurological wards of the Mosul teaching hospital.

These complications included catatonia, reported here for the first time, encephalitis, paranoid psychosis, neurotic depression, hysteria and migraine.

No sex difference was detected.

Physical findings of typhoid fever should be thoroughly investigated before labelling any psychiatric manifestations and emotional disturbances a primary psychiatric illness.