The Northern Division of Fiji, despite its smaller population relative to other regions, has the highest incidence of typhoid. This information was shared by microbiology scientist Orisi Cabenatabua during a presentation at the Fiji Institute of Medical Laboratory Services (FIMLS) Annual Convention, where he discussed current trends in typhoid and vaccination efforts.
Cabenatabua highlighted that the endemicity rate of typhoid in the Northern Division exceeds the national average. He noted, “Fiji is endemic to typhoid in the sense that we record a lot of cases each year.” Although the Northern Division’s case numbers are lower than those in the Central and Western divisions, this is primarily attributed to its population of around 100,000, compared to approximately 600,000 in the Central Division, which skews the endemicity rate.
Typhoid is prevalent across various subdivisions and age groups. Cabenatabua speculated that the reason for the higher impact in the North could relate to several factors, including access to sanitation and hygiene, as well as the effects of climate change. He pointed out that typhoid cases tend to rise after cyclones due to compromised sanitation facilities during such disasters, suggesting the need for deeper investigation into these causes.
To address the issue, Cabenatabua discussed the Ty-Five project, aimed at enhancing the existing surveillance system. This project involves clinical surveillance, which tracks patients visiting hospitals, alongside environmental sampling to pinpoint potential sources of contamination. “We try to sample the environment and see if there’s environmental contamination of salmonella,” he explained, noting that such contamination could significantly contribute to the spread of typhoid.
The scientist reported on a recent 10-week vaccination campaign and is now assessing the vaccine’s effectiveness. He compared the current number of cases in October with those from the previous year, revealing that this year’s cases are less than half of last year’s figures.