In Alegria town, only 7 patients test positive for typhoid fever

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health said that seven of the 16 patients from the town of Alegria tested Tuesday were found positive of typhoid fever.

The patients have been given antibiotics and are under observation.

Chevy Deiparine, Nurse II of RESU-7, said that five of those who tested positive were confined at the Badian District Hospital while two were outpatients.

None of the patients confined at the Reinhard Hospital in Alegria tested positive of typhoid fever.

Deiparine said that they found the presence of the bacteria Salmonella enterica typhi in the blood samples of the patients.

Salmonella enterica typhi or widely called as Salmonella typhi is an obligate parasite that has no known natural reservoir outside of humans. Strains of this organism have been isolated.

The bacterium usually enters the body through the mouth by the ingestion of contaminated food or water, penetrates the intestinal wall, and multiplies in lymphoid tissue.

The infection of the bacteria would lead to death if not treated immediately.

Dr. Expedito Medalla, chief of the RESU-7, told The Freeman that they will be sending the laboratory results to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Manila for confirmatory tests.

Octavios Acebo, Alegria sanitary health inspector, said that he took nine bottles of water to the Capitol Laboratory at the Cebu Provincial Capitol for water sampling.

He said results will be released today while the result of the water testing made by the RESU will be out on Friday.

Dr. Samson de la Peña, the municipal doctor, also confirmed that cases of the suspected typhoid fever have dropped as of yesterday.

More than 81 residents of Barangays Valencia and Madridejos of the southwestern town were brought to the hospital after exhibiting symptoms of typhoid fever.

Common symptoms of typhoid fever include high fever, weakness, stomach pains, and a rash of flat, rose-colored spots. If left untreated, other signs and symptoms may develop, including intestinal bleeding, hepatitis, meningitis, and even death.

Medalla said that proper hand washing, having a proper comfort room, and boiling drinking water are the precautions he advised to the residents.

Last December, the DOH declared an outbreak of typhoid fever in the same town as over 300 were afflicted.

Due to the outbreak a state calamity was declared in the town.

Meanwhile, Jenny Paras, head nurse of the Badian Rural Health Unit, told The Freeman that even if the illness doesn’t hit their town, they are now conducting health education to the parents.

Badian, the town next to Alegria with 29 barangays, also uses the spring as their source of water.

No Outbreak

Alegria town officials complained about media reports saying that there is a typhoid fever outbreak in their municipality.

Mayor Emelita Guisadio asked the media not to exaggerate the report.

 She explained that the 81 patients went for medical check up when some of them suffered cough and colds. 

Guisadio said the local government unit of Alegria has conducted regular testing of water samples since the outbreak period last December 2010 and the results were negative and safe.

The Province of Cebu has provided the LGU a chlorinator after the outbreak, but Guisadio said they have yet to use it in all areas because of the absence of electricity.

She said they use manual chlorinators in these areas with no electricity including the affected Sitio Inghoy of Barangay Valencia.

“So far the local government unit has no declaration of an outbreak re-occurrence in Alegria,” Guisadio said.

Local health nurse Genera Lerio said that patients now at the two hospitals are using water supplies from a reservoir built by a non government organization, which has no accreditation from the LGU.

What also worries the town official is the effect of the news to their tourism industry.— with Gregg M. Rubio/NLQ (FREEMAN)