Analysis of the Epidemiological Profile of Typhoid Fever in the State of Pará Between the Years 1999 and 2018

TL;DR

This study analyzed typhoid fever cases in Pará, Brazil, from 1999 to 2018, finding seasonal patterns and risk factors like contaminated food and urban living conditions.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed epidemiological profile of typhoid fever in Pará, identifying key demographic and environmental risk factors.

Findings

Typhoid fever cases peaked between June and November, with most cases in Belém.

Contaminated açaí consumption and urban housing conditions were linked to infections.

Most patients were male adults aged 20–59 with low education levels.

Abstract

Salmonella Typhi is the causative agent of typhoid fever, a notifiable disease characterized by prolonged fever and gastrointestinal symptoms that may worsen and lead to death. This study was aimed at determining the epidemiological profile of typhoid fever based on clinical cases treated between 1999 and 2018 at the Evandro Chagas Institute, located in the state of Pará, Brazil. A total of 683 cases were analyzed, confirmed through PCR, stool culture, or blood culture. The findings revealed a consistent annual pattern in the number of reported cases, with the highest incidence occurring between June and November. The majority of affected individuals resided in the municipality of Belém, were male, had low levels of formal education, and were predominantly students. The age range of affected individuals varied from 1 to 88 years, with the majority of cases occurring in adults aged 20–59 years. Most cases occurred in urban areas with brick housing, biological septic tanks, dry soil, regular garbage collection, and access to public water supplies. Consumption of potentially contaminated foods, especially açaí, was identified as a probable source of infection. The most frequently reported symptoms included fever, headache, diarrhea, chills, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, myalgia, and asthenia. These findings highlight the need to expand knowledge about the still limited epidemiology of typhoid fever in this region in order to support the implementation of effective control and prevention strategies.

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