Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.

Typhoid is a water and foodborne febrile illness which often mimics malaria in endemic African nations. This study deployed a point-of-use water testing approach to assess the public health risk associated with the consumption of water from spring wells (open or closed wells) and boreholes in off-gr...

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Main Authors: John Bosco Kalule, Nakintu Zalwango Valeria, Majalija Samuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004214
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author John Bosco Kalule
Nakintu Zalwango Valeria
Majalija Samuel
author_facet John Bosco Kalule
Nakintu Zalwango Valeria
Majalija Samuel
author_sort John Bosco Kalule
collection DOAJ
description Typhoid is a water and foodborne febrile illness which often mimics malaria in endemic African nations. This study deployed a point-of-use water testing approach to assess the public health risk associated with the consumption of water from spring wells (open or closed wells) and boreholes in off-grid areas in Kampala, and then assessed the correlation between incidence of in-patient typhoid cases at the local health facilities, and monthly rainfall amounts in Kampala.We retrieved 10-year archived data on monthly incidence of severe typhoid in-patient cases and corresponding data on monthly rainfall amounts and evaluated the interrelation between monthly rainfall and the incidence of inpatient department cases using regression and time-series analysis. The Portable Microbiology Laboratory was used to determine the level of disease risk associated with currently used underground water sources in Kampala. There was positive correlation between monthly rainfall amounts and incidence of severe typhoid cases in Kampala with a strong seasonal component with consistent annual peaks. The surface water sources in Kampala pose moderate to severe disease risk to the user communities and should be monitored and tested for microbial quality to ensure public health safety. Typhoid incidence in Kampala is weather-sensitive and predictable. Environmental modifications and vaccination could prevent the strong annual peaks of severe typhoid.
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spelling doaj-art-8f59908f18644b2fa3ba7d305cb08bb82025-08-20T02:28:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752025-01-0154e000421410.1371/journal.pgph.0004214Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.John Bosco KaluleNakintu Zalwango ValeriaMajalija SamuelTyphoid is a water and foodborne febrile illness which often mimics malaria in endemic African nations. This study deployed a point-of-use water testing approach to assess the public health risk associated with the consumption of water from spring wells (open or closed wells) and boreholes in off-grid areas in Kampala, and then assessed the correlation between incidence of in-patient typhoid cases at the local health facilities, and monthly rainfall amounts in Kampala.We retrieved 10-year archived data on monthly incidence of severe typhoid in-patient cases and corresponding data on monthly rainfall amounts and evaluated the interrelation between monthly rainfall and the incidence of inpatient department cases using regression and time-series analysis. The Portable Microbiology Laboratory was used to determine the level of disease risk associated with currently used underground water sources in Kampala. There was positive correlation between monthly rainfall amounts and incidence of severe typhoid cases in Kampala with a strong seasonal component with consistent annual peaks. The surface water sources in Kampala pose moderate to severe disease risk to the user communities and should be monitored and tested for microbial quality to ensure public health safety. Typhoid incidence in Kampala is weather-sensitive and predictable. Environmental modifications and vaccination could prevent the strong annual peaks of severe typhoid.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004214
spellingShingle John Bosco Kalule
Nakintu Zalwango Valeria
Majalija Samuel
Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
PLOS Global Public Health
title Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
title_full Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
title_fullStr Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
title_short Assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in Kampala, Uganda.
title_sort assessing the environmental and climatic influences on the incidence of severe typhoid in kampala uganda
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004214
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