title: Epidemiological Investigation of an Outbreak of Enteric Fever.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ninety five cases of enteric fever among military recruits from a regimental training centre at Maharastra were admitted to the local military hospital in a few weeks time.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive epidemiological study and detailed site survey was undertaken. Blood culture, antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST) with serotyping and phage typing of the isolates were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 95 cases occurred from 31 March 2003 to 17 May 2003. Blood culture for Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi was positive in 60 (63.16%) cases. All the isolates showed same serotype - 9, 12: d: Vi and all belonged to phage type E1 biotype 1 indicating single source outbreak. There was one fatality. There was clustering in time and place indicating a common source outbreak. Exploration of water pipeline supply revealed sewage contamination due to pipeline passing close to a overflowing manhole. ABST revealed multi-drug resistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outbreak of enteric fever occurred due to sewage contamination of drinking water pipeline.
authors.affiliation: Professor (Community Medicine), Padm Dr DY Patil Medical College, Pune.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Ex-Senior Advisor (Pathology), Command Hospital (Central Command) Lucknow.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kalghatgi
authors.affiliation: DADH, Headquarter 21 Mountain Div (Med), C/o 99 APO.
authors.forename: Pmp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Ex-Dy Commandant, Command Hospital, Chandimandir.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagendra
authors.affiliation: Ex-Commandant, Military Hospital Jallandhar.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: DDMS, Headquarter MB Area (Med), Jabalpur Cantt.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Handa
keywords: Enteric fever; Military recruits