[Outbreak of typhoid fever in a family].

We describe a small epidemic of typhoid fever in a family who came originally from Pakistan. In 1992 six members (mother and five children) of a family of ten were admitted to our department with typhoid fever within a nine-day period. The index case was an 18 months old girl who had been hospitalized and treated elsewhere for typhoid fever. Two weeks after completing antibiotic treatment she was admitted to our hospital with a relapse. The source of her first infection is unknown. The rapid spread of typhoid fever in the family was most likely due to insufficient hygienic precautions and inadequate antibiotic treatment of the index case. Several coexisting factors such as poor housing conditions and cultural barriers may also have influenced the outcome. There is obviously a need for strict guidelines and proper coordination of treatment and follow-up of this and other similar contagious diseases.