The Status and Associated Risk Factors of Typhoid Fever among Treatment Seeking Patients At Shishinda Health Center, Shishinda District, Kaffa Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Typhoid fever is a disease caused by Salmonella enterica serotype typhi (S. typhi). It is a lifethreatening illness associated with fever and potentially affects all peoples of Ethiopia. Salmonella is widely prevalent in developing countries, probably due to poor sanitation, inadequate personal and food hygiene and poor water quality. The aim of this study was to assess the status of Typhoid fever and determine associated risk factors that contributed to the observed prevalence at Shishinda Health Center, Shishinda district, Southwest Ethiopia. A community based crosssectional study design method was conducted the study from April 2022 to June 2022 by collecting blood samples from patients displaying symptom of typhoid fever at the Shishinda Health Center. A total of 384 outpatients seeking medication at the study area during the study period were recruited for the study. Widal test was used to test the collected blood samples for presence of the etiological agent. The blood samples were transported, using icebox, to Jimma University Research and Postgraduate Laboratory for further analysis. Antimicrobial activities of selected medicinal plants (Lepedium sativum, Brassica nigra & Allium sativum) against Salmonella were evaluated using disk diffusion technique). Phytochemical components of the selected medicinal plants responsible for their antimicrobial activities were determined. Antimicrobial activities of the plant extracts against salmonella was detected by measuring zone of inhibition (mm). The growth of Salmonella was detected by its characteristic appearance on Xylose Lysine Deoxychecolate Agar (red, black-centered colonies). Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. The overall status of typhoid fever in the study area was 16.7%. The status was relatively higher among females (22.8%) than males (9.9%). The highest prevalence of S.typhi infection, 22.4% (17/76), was observed among patients aged 43 years and above. Poor sanitation and low level of awareness towards typhoid fever were among the major risk factors associated with infection of typhoid fever. The studies revealed that antibacterial activity of the crude extracts were variable when extracted by different solvents; however, it possesses good anti-Salmonella activity. Extracts of L. sativum had the highest zone of inhibition (43.8mm) compared to B. nigra (34.2mm) and A. sativum(35.2) against Salmonella typhi. Health facilities should incorporate topics on typhoid fever as part of their health education system within the health facility and in the community in a more enhanced way