Typhoid News
In Bangladesh, a new way to map typhoid promises to aid vaccination strategy design
- Challenges exist in deploying vaccines effectively due to difficulties tracking Salmonella Typhi. However, Dr. Senjuti Saha from the Child Health Research Foundation in Dhaka suggests using Salmonella Typhi-specific bacteriophages for tracking.
- Dr. Saha and her team have developed an innovative surveillance method using a proxy indicator to detect Salmonella Typhi in urban settings. Samples collected from drains are filtered and enriched to detect Salmonella Typhi-specific bacteriophages in the lab. The presence of these bacteriophages can indicate the presence of Salmonella Typhi in the area, helping to understand the burden of typhoid fever.
- “We hope that our new method of surveillance can provide a clear idea of existence of the Salmonella Typhi bacteria in urban settings, which is very applicable to decide the strategy of vaccination against typhoid fever in any country,” Dr. Saha stated.
Study spotlights high incidence of typhoid fever in sub-Saharan Africa
- High incidence of typhoid fever in sub-Saharan Africa necessitates typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs).
- Researchers part of the Severe Typhoid in Africa study enrolled patients with fever or reported fever for 3 consecutive days within the previous 7 days. Typhoid fever was confirmed by isolating Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi from blood cultures.
- Burkina Faso, the DRC, Ghana, and Madagascar had an adjusted typhoid incidence of over 100 cases per 100,000 person-years, with the highest in the DRC (315 cases).
- Rural settings reported the highest incidence, however, the introduction of TCVs could substantially contribute to typhoid fever control efforts.
Single Dose of New Typhoid Vaccine Protects Kids Long-Term
- Typbar TCV, a one-shot vaccine, shows promise in providing long-term protection against typhoid in children aged 9 months to 12 years.
- A four-year study in Malawi involving over 28,000 children demonstrates a more than 78% efficacy rate for the TCV vaccine. Rates of typhoid incidence dramatically decrease among children who receive the TCV shot.
- The trial’s success leads the Malawi government to commit to vaccinating all children under 15, with babies receiving the Typbar TCV shot at 9 months as part of routine vaccinations.
- The results come at a critical time when climate change, extreme weather events, and increased urbanization may contribute to the rise of enteric diseases, including typhoid.
Study reveals how some bacterial infections become chronic
- A study by Broad Institute, MIT, Harvard, Tel Aviv University, and Sheba Medical Center focuses on nontyphoidal Salmonella causing long-term infections.
- Researchers analyzed bacterial samples from 256 patients with infections lasting at least 30 days, identifying mutations in barA and sirA genes.
- Mutations in these genes decrease the activity of SPI-1 genes, affecting Salmonella’s invasion of host cells.
- The study suggests the less-virulent Salmonella can sustain infections and possibly spread to other hosts.
- Different misspellings of mutated genes in different patients suggest independent evolution of bacteria to lower host immune response.
- Understanding these pathways could lead to new treatments or approaches to prevent persistent infections.
Typhoid outbreak in rural workers in Tairāwhiti, New Zealand
- Six cases of typhoid, a potentially fatal bacterial disease, have been identified in a team of rural workers in Tairāwhiti.
- The outbreak began with one of the team members who recently returned from overseas, Te Whatu Ora said, and control measures have been put in place to prevent it spreading further.
- “This is a small but significant outbreak confined to a rurally based work group,” Te Whatu Ora medical officer of health Dr Jim Miller said.
- The local public health service is monitoring the situation and is in regular contact with the group to ensure that support is in place and any further illness in those already possibly exposed, is treated promptly, Health NZ said in a statement.
Typhoid cases on the rise in India; precaution advised
- A seasonal peak of bacterial infection cases has been noticed over the past three weeks, with an increase in patients displaying clinal signs of typhoid fever.
- “I have seen at least five patients in less than a month. Blood cultures in all these patients returned positive for typhoid said senior pediatrician Dr S. Balasubramanian of Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust.
- In some cases, doctors have seen clusters among family members. “One after the other members get infected either because their water is contaminated, or they have a family member or a close contact who is carrying the infection but is asymptomatic.” said Dr V. Ramasubramanian.
Typhoid cases up 77% in the Philippines
- More than 4,000 typhoid cases have been recorded in the Philippines in the first quarter of the year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.
- In its latest disease surveillance report, the DOH said it logged 4,440 cases from January 1 to April 15.
- The cases were 77 percent higher compared to the 2,514 recorded during the same period in 2022.
Fever among kids, typhoid keep doctors busy in Chennai
- In addition to children in Chennai becoming sick with parainfluenza, adenoviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus, doctors have also seen an increasing number of typhoid cases.
- Cases usually increase between May and June and subside in September. However, according to senior pediatrician Dr S Balasubramanian, “We did not see typhoid cases in May and June last year. We saw some isolated cases by early October, and we continue to see cases of typhoid among school children every day.”
- Dr. Balasubramanian has said that city hospitals have seen a higher spike in cases this January compared to the same month in 2020 and 2021.
Zimbabwe strengthens capacity to prevent, control and manage cholera and typhoid outbreaks
- Zimbabwe has undertaken several activities to strengthen the country’s prevention, control and management of cholera and typhoid.
- Following a cholera outbreak in 2018, a National Task force for Cholera Elimination was created to support cholera elimination in Zimbabwe, through a multi-stakeholder approach.
- This task force spearheaded the development and launch of a Zimbabwe Multi-sectoral Cholera Elimination Plan 2018 – 2028. Cholera and typhoid, guidelines are essential tools for use by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and key stakeholders to control the diseases. The current cholera guidelines were developed in 2009 and the typhoid guideline in 2011.
Typhoid cases in Bangladesh on rise amid Covid-19, dengue
- Contagious fever typhoid is taking a serious toll on public health in Bangladesh as the authorities reported 32,276 cases in six months including 5,591 in October alone.
- Microbiologist and Child Health Research Foundation executive director Samir K Saha said that during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the cases of typhoid declined significantly, but now they were rising gradually.
- CHRF’s surveillance report on Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute stated that the number of typhoid patients more than doubled in the hospital compared with the past year.
Vaccination Campaign Against Typhoid Begins in Quetta, Pakistan
- A 12-day vaccination campaign to control the spread of typhoid was kicked off in the city earlier this month
- 856,000 children between the ages of nine and 15 years will be vaccinated against typhoid in 39 urban union councils in a vaccination campaign
- Initially, this vaccine will be administered in the urban union councils of Balochistan. Later, its scope will be expanded to the entire province
- Quetta District Health Officer Noor Bakhsh Bizenjo has called the vaccine “an extraordinary development”, and said it would allow people to take preventive measures against the disease
Cholera, typhoid cases in Philippines up in 2022: DOH
- Cases of cholera and typhoid have increased in the country during the rainy season, the Department of Health said Friday.
- The country logged 7,681 typhoid cases from January to August this year. This is 109 percent higher compared to the same time period last year, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
- Vergeire said the onset of the rainy season increases the risk of transmission of water-borne diseases.
Typhoid Detection Technique Improves Diagnostic Sensitivity
- A team at the University of California Davis Health working with international collaborators have developed a new technique to detect typhoid and estimate its incidence in populations over time.
- The approach requires only a drop of blood from a finger prick and involves measuring levels of antibodies against two antigens: Hemolysin E (Hlye) and Salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
- The method also employs AI to calculate antibody decay, which provides an indication of when someone was originally infected
- “Instead of just taking a sample, looking at the person’s antibody response and saying they’re negative or positive, we can model the antibody decay,” said Kristen Aiemjoy, a UC Davis researcher involved in the study. “We use that decay rate to infer when those people were most likely exposed, which provides vital information about the force of infection.”
Antibiotic-Resistant Typhoid From Asia Is Spreading Worldwide
- Treatment-resistant typhoid originating mostly from South Asia has springboarded across borders almost 200 times in the past three decades, according to new research that underscores the increasing global threat of infections that can evade antibiotics.
- The findings, published in The Lancet Microbe, showed that while resistance to first-line treatments generally declined across South Asia, global issues remained. The number of strains able to overpower macrolides and quinolones, two important types of antibiotics, climbed sharply and frequently spread to other countries, the study found.
- The findings are “a real cause for concern,” said Jason Andrews, an associate professor at Stanford University and the study’s lead author, urging that prevention measures be put in place, particularly in high-risk nations. “The fact resistant strains of S. Typhi have spread internationally so many times also underscores the need to view typhoid control, and antibiotic resistance more generally, as a global rather than local problem”.
Chickenpox and typhoid cases catching up in Ernakulam, India
- Health department officials have stated that typhoid cases are showing a rising trend in Ernakulam. As many as 11 suspected cases of typhoid were reported in May, compared to 5 from the previous month.
- The increase in typhoid cases has been blamed on the pre-monsoon rains that have been continuing for the past one week.
- Authorities expect the typhoid cases to rise even further in the coming months due to the monsoon rains. They have advised people to ensure personal hygiene and avoid having stale food and water from outside.
Fiji reports 44 cases of typhoid fever
- Fiji has indicated 44 cases of typhoid fever in the country this year
- According to the Ministry of Health, 23 cases have been recorded in the Western Division, with an increasing trend that has surpassed the outbreak threshold in the last two weeks
- Throughout the region, the Northern Division reported 6 cases and the Central Division recorded 14 cases
Fiji reports 213 dengue, 30 typhoid cases
- Fiji has reported 213 cases of dengue fever and 30 cases of typhoid fever this year.
- Health Secretary Dr. James Fong said of the typhoid cases, 11 were from the Central Division, 14 in the west and five in the north of the country.
- “The Ministry of Health and Medical Services Communicable Disease Committee has been activated and is assisting the divisional command centres in responding to cases of leptospirosis, typhoid, and dengue fever, including raising awareness and providing refresher training for medical professionals in primary care for early diagnosis and treatment.” – Dr. Fong
Outbreaks of typhoid fever confirmed in Western Cape and North West, South Africa
- There are currently four outbreaks of enteric fever, three of them in the Western Cape, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Wednesday.
- There are currently 64 cases of enteric fever in the Western Cape, in three separate outbreaks, 18 in North West, 45 in Gauteng, 12 in Mpumalanga, nine in KwaZulu-Natal, seven in the Eastern Cape, four in the Free State and four in Limpopo.
- Dr Juno Thomas from the NICD said the last big outbreak of enteric fever in the country was in 2005, in Delmas, and was traced to a contaminated water supply.
Study assesses how vaccination against typhoid fever could help avert antimicrobial resistance
- Researchers from Yale University, University of Basel, University of Antwerp, CDDEP and other institutions recently published a study aimed to assess how vaccination against typhoid fever could help avert antimicrobial resistance.
- In this study, researchers present country-specific estimates for the effect of TCV introduction on the burden of antimicrobial-resistant typhoid fever in 73 countries eligible for Gavi support.
- According to Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan, Study Author, Director, CDDEP, “This study, which is part of a larger research effort to study the effect of vaccines on averting antibiotic consumption, clearly demonstrates the tremendous value of vaccines in addressing AMR. Going forward, vaccines could be a major component of any global strategy to tackle drug-resistant infections.”
- Overall, the key findings of the study are as follows:
- The introduction of routine immunization with TCV at age nine months with a catch-up campaign up to age 15 years was predicted to avert 46–74% of all typhoid fever cases in 73 countries eligible for Gavi support.
- Vaccination was predicted to reduce the relative prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant typhoid fever by 16%.
- TCV roll-out could be especially urgent in places where resistance has emerged and is rapidly spreading. The authors give Pakistan as an example, due to an outbreak of extensively drug-resistant typhoid that has been ongoing since 2016.
Typhoid fever downs 30 in Cotabato
- At least 30 people from the remote village of Manaulanan in Pikit, Cotabato, Philippines have been hospitalized due to typhoid fever
- North Cotabato provincial health officer, Dr. Eva Rabaya, said the 30 patients, many of which are children, may have drank contaminated water
- Dr. Rabaya said the remote village has no potable drinking water, and Manaulanan residents rely on commercially available mineral drinking water in gallons or bottle
- The North Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) have been dispatched to help the town health office in monitoring and medication of patients
