Epidemiology of Salmonella enterica in the Asante Akyem District, Ghana

The importance of invasive salmonelloses and other bacterial bloodstream infections in African children is well recognized, but information on the epidemiology of salmonellae in these children and in the environment is still largely absent. In addition, the exact modes of transmission of both typhoidal and nontyphoidal salmonellae are often unknown in Africa. This book investigates bacterial causes of sepsis and bacteraemia in children admitted to a rural hospital in the Asante Akyem district in Ghana. Most children in this part of the world do not have access to safe drinking water; hence contamination of local drinking water sources with salmonellae and other faecal bacteria was examined. Also external factors characterising and possible favouring such contaminations of local wells were analysed in a longitudinal study in the patient coverage area of the study hospital. Contamination of rural drinking water sources: a possible source for salmonelloses in the study population?