CONTRIBUIÇÃO PARA O ESTUDO DA EPIDEMIA DE FEBRE TIFÓIDE NO MUNICÍPIO DE ITATIBA EM 1954

Abstract

The study of the typhoid fever epidemic in Itatiba has shown once more that has the most important role in the discovery and control of communicable diseases. The intercrossed reporting among Municipalities is of great value, and negligence in this matter may have disastrous consequences as happened in Itatiba, where lack of reporting was responsible for the occurrence of an outbreak of typhoid fever with 909 cases, which stopped the community life during several months. Public Health physicians, clinical physicians, para-medical profissionals and the people themselves must receive adequate health education about the value and importance of reporting cases to the Sanitary Authorities. The deficiencies observed in gathering data during the epidemic in Itatiba have shown once again the great importance of this phase in epidemiological inquiries, as the deficiencies ares almost always irreparable. In order to obtain data by means of cards an adequately trained staff is necessary, especially regarding the rules and regulations adopted. The "Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística" must establish, as much as possible, interdependence of attributes in its population data, starting from the forthcoming census. This is essential for various types of studies, including epidemiologic ones, in which rational comparison between data regarding personal attributes is only possible by means of specific rates. During this epidemic the general consensus about the Widal test was confirmed: although useful in laboratory diagnosis of enteric fevers, it gives positive results too late, never presents a safe diagnosis and is difficult to interpret, mainly if there is a single examination per sick person. As blood culture furnishes a high poistive rate, especially if performed during the first days of illness, it becomes the test of choice.