By NICD,
The Centre for Enteric Diseases (CED) at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) provides reference microbiology testing, surveillance, epidemiological, and technical support to the South African National Department of Health’s efforts to combat enteric diseases. Additionally, the NICD, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), engages in national laboratory-based surveillance to systematically collect, collate, and analyse data on pathogens of public health importance in South Africa, utilising the GERMS-SA surveillance platform.
According to the World Health Organization, there are an estimated nine million cases of typhoid fever globally each year, leading to approximately 110,000 deaths. South Asia, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa bear the highest burden of enteric fever, exhibiting significant variation between and within countries. In South Africa, enteric fever caused by Salmonella typhi is endemic, although its prevalence is much lower compared to most other sub-Saharan African countries. Sporadic cases occur annually in most provinces, occasionally resulting in clusters or larger outbreaks.
The latest Public Health Bulletin South Africa report provides insights on enteric fever in South Africa between 2020 and 2023. To access the surveillance report, click on the links below.
For more information about the PHBSA, visit the website at https://www.phbsa.ac.za/.
