Retrospective Study on Prevalence of Typhoid Fever Infection Among Patients Visiting Ejere Health Center, West Shawa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Damtew Bekele and Warku Lata

Typhoid fever is a major public health problem in worldwide including Ethiopia. The study design used in this study was a retrospective study to assess typhoid fever disease among patients in age ranges 1–18 years, who visited Ejere health center during the past three years (2018–2020). This study would also seek to know the conditions that are favorable to high prevalence of typhoid in the district. The results showed that total of 1152 individuals suffered from typhoid fever during the three years period. Of these numbers, 486 (42.18%) were males, and 1158 (57.98%) were females. The highest number of cases was accounted for 422(36.31) in 2020, while the lowest number of cases was 346 (30.03) in 2018. Among this, typhoid fever was higher in patients from rural than patients from urban. Among the age groups, the 14–18 age groups were the most affected. Rural communities living far from health centers were susceptible to typhoid fever. High prevalence was observed during the wet months, although cases occurred throughout the year. This indicated that the risk factors were still continued and that there were no effective control measures in place. Therefore an understanding of factors that influence the occurrence of typhoid fever in Ejere District was important in the management of the typhoid fever and environmental sanitation by communities could minimizes the risk factors.

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