Prevalence and risk factors of typhoid fever infection among patients attending Mulago Hospital

Abstract

Typhoid fever is a systematic infection effecting mankind around the globe, caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, and remains a significant worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. It is more endemic in developing countries where sanitation and hygiene have been very difficult to achieve and emphasize. Limited or no access to safe water is one of the important risk factors for typhoid fever together with reduced immunity to fight the infection. The present study was therefore conducted in order to determine the prevalence and risk factors of typhoid fever among patients reporting for medication in Mulago Hospital and also to determine the most affected age group by typhoid fever. Stool samples of 250 individuals were collected for analysis using RDT test, Widal agglutination tests and culture for identification and confirmation of the bacterium. The results obtained were entering in Microsoft Excel and then SPSS for analysis and obtain the p-values of different risk factors. Out of 250 samples analyzed, 86 (34.4%) of the patients were confirmed to be having typhoid fever with the age group of 11 – 20 being the most affected by the infection with fever (98.4%), abdominal pain (98%), headache (95.2%), diarrhea (95.2%) and cough (96.4%) being the main signs and symptoms shown by the patients. Consumption of contaminated food and water, hygiene and sanitation being the major causes for the spread of the infection. Therefore, awareness should be created in young generation related to polluted water and hygienic food to eradicate this particular infection, also sensitization and education of the general public on the causes, risk factors, prevention and control of typhoid fever should be conducted, government should introduce vaccine for typhoid fever in the country in order to boost the immunity of the people against typhoid fever. And above all, personal hygiene is hereby encouraged among the people/community to prevent the spread of the infection.