INVESTIGATION OF AN OUTBREAK OF TYPHOID-FEVER IN 2 SETTLEMENTS NEAR PORT-MORESBY

From November 1985 to February 1986 two unplanned settlements near Por t Moresby experienced a small person-to-person outbreak of typhoid fev er, which included one death, Investigation showed that of the 20 indi viduals who were diagnosed as either ill, culture positive or a carrie r, 15 were related by blood, marriage or through shared living quarter s, The remaining 5 lived in the same house, but were not related to th e larger group, Drinking water was contaminated with coliforms, but wa s not implicated, The outbreak resolved with no additional cases after February 1986, Outbreaks of this nature highlight the need for contin uing public health education for local health officers in contact trac ing, field testing and transportation of specimens, and epidemiologica l skills in investigating person-to-person outbreaks, They also make a strong case for public health laboratories equipped to perform rapid, comprehensive pathological examination of specimens collected during any outbreak of infectious illness.