Case Definition

Laboratory confirmation of infection with or without clinical illness[1]: • Isolation of Salmonella typhi from an appropriate clinical specimen (e.g., feces, blood, urine, bone marrow)[2]. Probable Case Clinical illness[1] in a person who is epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case. Carrier Individuals who continue to shed S. typhi for one year or greater are considered to be carriers[3]. [1] Clinical illness is characterized by insidious onset of sustained fever, headache, malaise, anorexia, relative splenomegaly, constipation or diarrhea, and non-productive cough. Relative bradycardia and rose spots (less than 25 % of individuals) may be seen. Atypical presentations occur and severity of illness varies. Chronic carrier state (< 5 % of population) is usually linked to the biliary or urinary tract and should be distinguished from short-term faecal carriage. [2] Refer to the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (ProvLab) Guide to Services for current specimen collection and submission information. [3] Alberta Health maintains a Typhoid/Paratyphoid Registry for purposes of monitoring carriers as they potentially pose a long term health risk for transmission of disease