ABSTRACT
Typhoid fever is still a major public health problem around the world especially in developing countries. In endemic areas, children aged 1-5 years are at the highest risk of infection. Between 1% and 5% of patients with acute typhoid infection have been reported to become chronic carriers, depending on age, sex and treatment regimen. In this work we study the prevalence of chronic typhoid carriers among children in Sohag. Five hundred children between 2-14 years [421 males and 79 females] attending outpatients pediatrics' clinic at Sohag University Hospital were examined for the existence of typhoid bacilli in their urine and stool. This study showed that typhoid bacilli were found in 18.7% stools and 3.1% were urinary carriers. Only 34.7% of the stool carriers had definite history of typhoid and 12.3% in the urinary carriers. The highest percentage of carriers was found at age above 12 years [40.2%]. Chronic stool and urinary carriers were more in rural than in urban areas. This high percentage was associated with bad water supply and poor hygienic measures. Symptoms suggesting typhoid fever were present in 58.6% of stool carriers and 18.2% in urinary carriers. Chronic typhoid carriers are present in considerable percentage of children in Sohag, and this was associated with bad water supply and bad hygiene especially in rural areas