Investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhi in Battalgazi district, Malatya-Turkey

Braz J Microbiol. 2009 Jan;40(1):170-3. doi: 10.1590/S1517-838220090001000029. Epub 2009 Mar 1.

Abstract

Salmonella Typhi infections are important public health problems for the developing countries. In this study we investigated the molecular epidemiology of a suspected well-water borne S. Typhi outbreak occurred in a district of Malatya-Turkey. This outbreak affected 10 patients in two days. Arbitrary primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) based typing showed two clones, one had seven, and the other had three strains, supporting outbreak speculation. By adding chlorine to wells by local municipal authority, the outbreak ended within a very short time (about ten days).

Keywords: Salmonella Typhi; Typhoid fever; waterborne outbreak.