Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40009631›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Evaluation of Moore and grab sampling method for Salmonella Typhi detection in environmental samples in Ghana.

Michael Owusu, Eric Darko, Debora Akortia, Gifty Nkrumah, Sampson Twumasi-Ankrah, Michael Owusu-Ansah, Christopher B Uzzell, Jonathan Rigby, Catherine M Troman, Nicolette A Zhou and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Michael OwusuKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0001-5066-150X
Eric DarkoKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Debora AkortiaKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.ORCID 0009-0001-3385-8252
Gifty NkrumahKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Sampson Twumasi-AnkrahKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Michael Owusu-AnsahKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Christopher B UzzellDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-4204-3485
Jonathan RigbyDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-5143-0981
Catherine M TromanDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-8584-7785
Nicolette A ZhouDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America.
John Scott MeschkeDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America.
Alexander G ShawDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-3166-872X
Nicholas C GrasslyDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Yaw Adu-SarkodieKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0003-2093-1534
Ellis Owusu-DaboKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Funding

Gates Foundation INV-002381
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTyphoid fever causes substantial mortality and morbidity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) as a result of inadequate water, hygiene, and sanitation facilities. The gold standard for typhoid diagnosis is blood culture, however this method is expensive and mostly unavailable in LMICs. Environmental surveillance (ES) could offer a low cost alternative to identify circulation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S.Typhi) and help inform public health interventions including vaccination.

methodsWe implemented standardized protocols for ES at 40 validated sites in peri-urban communities in Ghana from July 2022 to August 2023. Grab samples (GS) and Moore swabs (MS) were collected monthly for the initial 6 months and subsequently monthly MS were maintained for the rest of the study period. Wastewater samples were tested for S. Typhi target genes (ttr, staG, tviB) and a biomarker of human faecal contamination (Bacteroides HF183) using multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR). Clinical surveillance for typhoid fever was performed by blood culture of febrile cases presenting to the local hospital who lived in the study area.

resultsFor the first 6 months of wastewater ES, we observed a higher prevalence of S. Typhi in MS compared to GS [100/240 (42%; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 34-50% vs. 24/240 (10%; 95% CI: 6-16%)]; p-value < 0.001]. Overall, the detection of S. Typhi throughout the study period based on MS was 42.1% (202/480; 95% CI: 35-50%). The prevalence of S. Typhi in blood culture surveillance was 0.21% [12/5,576; 95% CI: 0.12-0.38%]. Precipitation (1.1 (95% CI: 1.02-1.10) and number of wet days (2.0 (95%CI: 1.40-2.88) were positively associated with an increased odds of S. Typhi detection in MS and GS.

conclusionGenerally the proportion of S.Typhi detections in wastewater samples was less than blood culture-based detections. Limited detection of confirmed typhoid fever cases at the local hospital may reflect healthcare seeking behaviours, access as well as early treatment with over-the-counter antibiotics. Further work is required to confirm these qPCR detections with amplicon sequencing methods. Strategies also needs to be developed for integration of ES into public health decision making for the prevention of typhoid fever.

Indexed as

Environmental MonitoringSalmonella typhiTyphoid FeverFecesGhanaHumansWastewaterWastewater

Identifiers

PMID40009631
PMCPMC11864537

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.