Typhoid testing for early childhood centre members

Palmerston North Hospital is awaiting test results from members of the early childhood centre attended by a child who tested positive for typhoid.

Health officials confirmed two Palmerston North people, the child and a young adult, had the infection, which spread from an Auckland outbreak a month ago.

The young adult was in Palmerston North Hospital with the disease, while the child was being treated out of hospital.

The young adult had a family link to the Auckland typhoid outbreak in April, in which one person died.

Now, hospital staff are checking several people who came into contact with the two patients.

Midcentral District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Patrick O’connor said the child’s infection was detected through the standard contact tracing and testing procedures undertaken by the Public Health Service.

‘‘The child is presently well and will be treated at home to eliminate the infection,’’ he said.

O’connor said staff were working closely with the child’s family to identify close contacts who may have been at risk of infection.

‘‘While we are awaiting results from a number of contacts, including those at the early childhood centre, only one [the child] has tested positive.

O’connor said other people had been asked to provide samples, which had been sent to the laboratory for testing.

Typhoid is spread through eating or drinking food or water that has been contaminated with faeces from someone with typhoid, or who may be a carrier of the typhoid bacterium, he said.

It is not spread through casual contact.

O’connor said Midcentral followed international guidelines which recommend that patients had specific isolation precautions.

‘‘In addition to standard precautions such as hand hygiene, isolation includes the use of gowns and gloves for patient contact.

‘‘The infection prevention and control team support ongoing surveillance to ensure that these precautions are observed.’’

He reminded people of the need to wash and dry their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet, changing nappies and before preparing food.

Meanwhile, the public have been assured that they are not at risk.