Survey of a typhoid outbreak in a college in Hubei,2013

On 11 December 2013, a typhoid outbreak occurred in a college in Xiantao, Hubei province. As of 22 December, 74 cases were reported, in which 72 were students, the attack rate was 1.10% in the students (72/6533). Salmonella typhi were detected with Widal reaction in the samples collected from 6 canteen workers and 4 students who provided help in the canteen, Twenty four Salmonella typhi strains were isolated from the blood samples of 69 cases. The survey results indicated that the infection source of the outbreak could be tracked to the previous infection with Salmonella typhi in canteen workers, which resulted in food contamination. It is necessary to strengthen the disease surveillance and improve food safety in schools to prevent foodborne diseases.