Comparison of the level of contamination of boreholes and wells with Salmonella typhi around Kampala

Abstract

Typhoid fever is the most common illness among children and youths in Uganda because of its easy means of spread through contaminated water. This study was aimed at testing the presence of salmonella typhi borehole water and well water sources around Kasubi, Kalerwe and Ketizi. These are densely populated slums and therefore this helped me gain interest of pushing the study forward. Nine well water samples were picked from these places that is to say, three samples were picked in each place and also nine borehole samples were picked in the same manner. The samples were micro-filtered and the residue was cultured on nutrient broth, then selenite cystine, XLD medium and then purified in MacConkey agar. The colonies were counted directly by placing a grid on the culture plates and then using a microscope for viewing. All well water samples contained salmonella typhi while only the borehole water sample from Kalerwe contained salmonella typhi