by EA Abasquez

San Jose, Antique (13 March) -- The Province of Antique has no reported out breaks of typhoid, a communicable disease characterized by fever, diarrhea, prostration, apathy, headache, eruption of rose spots, leucopenia and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa.

It is caused by the salmonella typhi bacteria that can be either transmitted through food and water intake.

Dr. Maricar Esperida, Chief of Technical Service of the Provincial Health Office said that the health office has integrated in their advocacy work, the strict observance of personal and community hygiene at the family and community levels to ward off the disease.

Environmental sanitation drive which include among others the use of water sealed toilets, use of safe potable water and proper garbage disposal would boost preventive measures to safeguard the people's health, Dr Esperida emphasized.

As transmission is through fecal/oral route, hygiene practices at all levels and compliance of requirements like issuance of health certificate among sectors concerned would strengthen the campaign against the disease, Esperida added.

Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo directed the Department of Health to look into the increasing incidence of typhoid cases in ten Calamba barangays,