Which of the following is a distinctive clinical feature seen in patients with enteric fever?
Solution
Correct Answer: Option A
- Rose spots on the abdomen are a distinctive clinical feature of enteric fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi.
- These are small, blanching, erythematous maculopapular lesions seen in about 30% of patients, typically appearing during the second week of illness.
- They result from bacterial emboli in the skin and are considered pathognomonic when present.
- The other options, such as palmar erythema, herpetic vesicles, and Janeway lesions, are not characteristic of enteric fever but are related to other conditions.
- Hence, the presence of rose spots aids in the clinical diagnosis of enteric fever.
Reference: Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine, 24th Edition, Chapter: Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever, Page 735.