[An epidemic of typhoid fever]

An outbreak of typhoid fever was observed in a group of students and accompanying teachers during a journey to Haiti in summer 1991. All (6) infected persons were symptomatic and rapidly cured by antibiotics. The Salmonella typhi strains isolated from blood cultures were all identical by ribotyping. All the participants had a medical checkup and stool cultures were obtained; asymptomatic carriers could be excluded. Secondarily infected persons were not observed. The infectious source has not been identified, but various hypotheses are considered. Oral vaccination does not appear to modify the risk of infection in exposed persons.