Health alert: Enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid)
Metro South Public Health Unit (PHU) wishes to advise local healthcare professionals that several cases of enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid) have been notified in the Brisbane South PHN (and Metro South) region. The majority of infections were acquired overseas. The PHU is investigating a possible locally acquired case of typhoid.
Please contact the Metro South Public Health Unit if you suspect a locally acquired case of enteric fever:
Important enteric fever guidance for healthcare professionals
Metro South Health PHU requests healthcare professionals consider the following:
Patients who have travelled overseas and are presenting with fever, malaise, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, anorexia, headache, and/or myalgia in the first week of illness may have enteric fever, particularly if they have returned from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands or Africa.
The local transmission of enteric fever is possible, particularly if people with enteric fever prepare food for others.
Request blood culture and stool/urine cultures. Other infections (including malaria, flavivirus and respiratory infections) may need to be excluded.
Patients with enteric fever require antimicrobial treatment, supportive care and management of complications. Seek infectious diseases advice and referral to hospital as appropriate.
Help minimise transmission risk of enteric fever
Metro South Health PHU reminds healthcare professionals to minimise transmission risk by:
managing all suspected and confirmed cases with contact precautions, preferably with their own bathroom
ensuring strict hygiene practices are followed by patients and staff
ensuring adequate environmental cleaning of clinical areas
advising patients with enteric fever not to prepare food for others while infectious
excluding patients with enteric fever from work
advising patients on typhoid vaccination if they are travelling to endemic regions.
More enteric fever information
A typhoid and paratyphoid factsheet for patients is available from Queensland Health.
View the typhoid and paratyphoid national guidelines for Public Health Units from the Australian Centre for Disease Control.
See information about typhoid fever and vaccine recommendations via The Australian Immunisation Handbook.