Linking disease surveillance figures from health centres to data obtained from geographic information system (GIS), a study in two urban slums of Kolkata has found that typhoid fever struck the poor and less literate people more than their comparatively affluent, more literate counterparts in the same community1. People with bigger households and those living close to water bodies were also found to be more at risk of getting the debilitating enteric fever.
The researchers in a Kolkata slum. Credit: NICED
The subpopulation with the lowest socio economic status of this impoverished population appeared to be at highest risk for enteric fever. "It is impractical to think of any immediate solution to overcome the risks for controlling the disease. Alternatively, we can think of introducing typhoid vaccine in public health programs, as the vaccine has become increasingly available and inexpensive", Ali says.
A baseline census of the population was conducted with concomitant collection of demographic and socio-economic data. Each household and important landmark in the study area was digitally mapped. The residents were encouraged to consult at a study treatment centre for any episode of fever. The authors then analyzed factors associated with high and low risk areas of enteric fever incidence.
"The method of comparison is statistically powerful and holds promise in detecting risk factors associated with diseases using digital mapping," says Sujit Kumar Bhattacharya, a co-author.
The authors of this study are from: National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India; International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Korea; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
