Clinical Infectious Diseases
Volume 16, Issue 2, 1993, Pages 213-215

Typhoid fever in ethiopian immigrants to israel and native-born israelis: A comparative study (Article)

Carmeli Y.* , Raz R. , Schapiro J.M. , Alkan M.
  • a Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel, Department of Medicine “D, ” Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel, Infectious Disease Institute, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
  • b Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel, Department of Medicine “D, ” Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel, Infectious Disease Institute, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
  • c Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel, Department of Medicine “D, ” Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel, Infectious Disease Institute, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
  • d Department of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel, Department of Medicine “D, ” Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel, Infectious Disease Institute, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

Abstract

Typhoid fever remains a major cause of mortality in developing countries, with a case-fatality rate (CFR) of 12%–32%, whereas in developed countries this rate has successfully been reduced to <2%. The cause of this high CFR in developing countries was investigated by studying two populations of patients who had typhoid fever during the years 1984–1985: Ethiopian Jews who were infected in Africa (a region with a high CFR) and treated in Israel (a region with a low CFR) and native-born Israelis. The causative organisms were of similar phage types. Among 121 Ethiopian Jews there were two fatalities (CFR, 1.65%), and among 204 native-born Israelis there were three fatalities (CFR, 1.47%). Findings of the clinical course and treatment were similar for 15 Ethiopian Jews and 14 native-born Israelis and consistent with those of reports from developed countries. We conclude that the high CFR for typhoid fever in Africa is due to delayed hospitalization and treatment rather than to differences in host factors or in the virulence of the pathogen and that mortality can be reduced by hastening hospitalization and treatment. © by The University of Chicago.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

hospitalization Israel developing country clinical feature Developing Countries human immigration typhoid fever priority journal comparative study disease course Adolescent male female Infant Jew Child, Preschool Article Ethiopia fatality major clinical study adult Emigration and Immigration cause of death mortality Epidemiologic Factors Middle Age Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0027537210&doi=10.1093%2fclind%2f16.2.213&partnerID=40&md5=1cf78f4b556d3099593d5339590bcbf3
DOI: 10.1093/clind/16.2.213
ISSN: 10584838
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English