article · African Research Journal of Medical Sciences
Surveillance within infection prevention and control programmes can disrupt the transmission of bacterial infections such as typhoid fever. In this case, a seventeen-year-old male was hospitalised with high-grade fever, headache, abdominal pain, and loose stool. Blood cultures confirmed Salmonella enterica serotype typhi, which showed susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. The patient recovered fully following a fourteen-day course of oral ciprofloxacin. Alongside treatment, an infection prevention and control surveillance team traced the patient's family members and conducted stool testing. This contact tracing identified three asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria. These carriers were treated with a seven-day regimen of ciprofloxacin to clear the infection. The findings illustrate how epidemiological contact tracing and laboratory screening around confirmed typhoid cases can detect hidden carriers, helping healthcare facilities interrupt household transmission in areas affected by poor sanitation and potable water shortages.
Typhoid fever remains prevalent in resource-limited settings due to inadequate sanitation, food handling issues, and scarce potable water. Asymptomatic carriers can unknowingly spread Salmonella typhi within households and communities. Demonstrating the practical value of tracing family contacts shows how hospital-led infection prevention teams can actively uncover hidden reservoirs of infection, stopping wider outbreaks before they develop into major public health challenges.
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Background: Surveillance is one of the most important components of Infection Prevention, and Control (IPC) in healthcare facilities, it is an essential tool for breaking the chain of transmission of infection.Salmonella enterica serotype typhi can easily be transmitted from carrier(s) to the susceptible hosts through contaminated food, water, or both.Prompt identification and treatment of patients with enteric fever using appropriate antibiotics is important in achieving bacteriological cure, also epidemiological surveillance and follow-up to determine potential carriers can limit/halt further transmission and prevent further occurrences.Case report: A 17-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with complaints of high-grade fever and headache of 13 days duration, abdominal pain, and passage of loose stool of 3 days duration.The blood culture of the patient yielded the growth of Salmonella enterica serotype typhi, showed susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin and Ceftriaxone.He received oral ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 14 days, and the IPC surveillance team traced all members of his family and took stool samples from each member, the result showed Salmonella enterica serovar typhi; isolated from 3 asymptomatic carriers among the members of this family, the carriers were treated with Ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days.The patient was discharged with full recovery after treatment.Clinical discussion: Typhoid fever is a common condition in poor resource countries like Nigeria, due to poor hygiene, shortage of potable water, and poor food handling.This case report's main aim is to draw the attention of hospitals to the importance of surveillance in IPC in breaking the chain of infection transmission, thereby preventing major public health challenge.
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DOI: 10.62587/afrjms.2.2.2025.26-31
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