ATLANTA, Aug 27, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Researchers say most U.S. cases of
typhoid fever are related to travel -- especially the Indian subcontinent.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, finds
more and more typhoid cases are being identified as drug-resistant strains,
including nalidixic acid-resistant S Typhi as well as ciprofloxacin-resistant.
The researchers raise concerns that strains resistant to fluroquinolones may
become more prevalent.
"Over the last 20 years, emergence of S Typhi strains resistant to
anti-microbial agents has complicated treatment of infected patients," the study
authors say in a statement. "Reducing the burden of typhoid fever in the United
States will require increased attention to prevention measures by travelers,
including improved vaccination coverage among travelers to typhoid-endemic
areas."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, led by Dr. Michael Lynch,
was based on data from 1999-2006 for 1,902 people with typhoid fever submitted
to the CDC, and 2,016 S Typhi isolates from public health laboratories sent to
the CDC for anti-microbial susceptibility testing.
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