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

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.

Figure 1

AP-PCR typing results of 13 strains. Lines 1,2 and 3 were the strains which did not relate to outbreak. Lines 4, 10, and 12 belonged to the same clone (clone D in table), Lines 5-9, 11, and 13 belonged to the second same clone (clone E in table). The lines at the beginning and end of the gel were molecular weight marker.