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24
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
There was one confirmed case of Typhoid Fever in the Borough during the year.
This was a female aged 35 years who was admitted to an Isolation Hospital and was
found to be suffering from typhoid fever. She discharged herself, as a typhoid carrier,
against medical advice although subsequently submitting 6 negative faecal and urine
specimens
She had been on holiday in Italy for 3 months and returned to England not feeling
well. It is presumed that the infection was contracted abroad.
Family and other contacts were kept under close observation, 3 of these contacts
were engaged on food handling duties in other Boroughs. The Medical Officers of Health
of the Boroughs concerned were kept fully informed of all developments. Routine
bacteriological examinations from all contacts proved negative for typhoid.
Information was received in early March from the Chief Medical Officer of the
Ministry of Health of cases of Typhoid Fever reported among persons who had recently
returned to England from Switzerland Each of the persons concerned had stayed in
Zermatt during the second half of February
No cases were reported amongst Islington residents but investigations were made
after the receipt of information of an Islington child who had been in contact with a
nurse who was a confirmed case of Typhoid and had recently returned from Zermatt,
Reports were also received of an Islington Doctor and Nurses from Whittington
Hospital and one other Islington resident who had also recently returned from Zermatt
The attention of all Medical Practitioners was drawn to the possibility of
typhoid fever as an explanation of illness in any recent Zermatt traveller
A comnunication on this subject was also addressed to all those responsible for
Catering and Food Handling Staffs in the Borough
Information was received from the Royal Northern Hospital of 3 Islington contacts
of a confirmed case of Typhoid in Bedfordshire.
A routine domiciliary visit was made and results of bacteriological tests proved
satisfactory
Information on the case was requested from the Medical Officer of Health of the
Borough concerned Subsequently a reply was received confirming the Typhoid Fever, and
stating that the infection was not a local one but was, in fact, acquired abroad
The Medical Officer of Health Southampton reported that 4 Islington residents
were contacts of a suspected case of Typhoid Fever on the s s "Flandre" which arrived
at Southampton on 24th June. Domiciliary investigations were made and all faecal and
urine specimens examined were negative
One of the contacts could not be traced and the Medical Officer of Health,
Southampton was informed.
' "Reports of a further 7 contacts (2 isolated and 5 in one family) of Typhoid
Fever were also investigated during the year