Prevalence, Risk Factors and Susceptibility for Notifiable Typhoid and Paratyphoid among Patients Attending the Regional Hospital Bamenda, Cameroon

Background: Typhoid and paratyphoid are global diseases among the major public health concerns in developing countries, including Cameroon, especially in areas where tap water is not widely available. Understanding the burden and risk factors contributing to the transmission and proper diagnosis of the disease is crucial to applying appropriate preventive and therapeutic interventions. Hence we assessed the prevalence of notifiable typhoid and paratyphoid fever, its associated factors and susceptibility among febrile patients visiting Regional Hospital Bamenda, Cameroon. Methodology: A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed among 199 febrile patients visiting Regional Hospital Bamenda for health services from May to July 2023. The data were collected using laboratory procedures (Widal test) and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Blood and stool were collected from suspected patients for isolation and identification of bacteria. Susceptibility tests were done using standard drugs. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 25. The presence and strength of associations between variables were considered significant (p≤0.05). Drug sensitivity patterns to the isolates were established as susceptible, intermediate and/or resistant. Results: The overall prevalence of typhoid was 51.2%. The females were in high number with the seroprevalences of 13.1% (S. typhi), 10.6% (S. paratyphi) and 9.5% (both S. typhi and paratyphi). Stool isolates showed varied sensitivity to fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin (17.6%), ciprofloxacin (23.5%) and levofloxacin (18.6%). Salmonella isolates were mostly resistant to amoxicillin (87.3%). Hygienic conditions (ꭓ2 =19.85, p=0·001), Occupation (ꭓ2 =14.55, p=0·001) and number of household occupants (ꭓ2 =31.54, p<0·001) were significantly associated with typhoid fever infection. Conclusion: The prevalence of typhoid fever among febrile patients was high. Typhoid fever infection was significantly associated with household occupants. Some participants had both S. typhi and S. paratyphi.